Mormons are Christians. They're a Christian derivative, right?

No, I believe they are a certain form of a Cult. When I say cult I don't mean they are cutting heads off and sacrifcing virgins. But if you look at a definition of a cult they will fit the profile.

I think that they may still be Christians, as long as they remember the one important part of Christianity. The Christian belief that Jesus died and rose again to save them. The very last thing it says in the bible, from the KJ version: "18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. " . So while they may still be going to heaven, while they may get the basic point right, they are not doing what they are supposed to, by adding a completely different book. I can understand some of the "lost" books may have been removed for whatever reason, and if truly authentic should be in there. But not hundreds of pages completely seperate from the Bible.

I think it's not my place to decide whether someone else is or is not a Christian. The Bible measures a person's salvation by these criteria: "If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom 10:9) LSD doctrine definitely places the church outside of what I consider orthodoxy (small 'o', not to be confused with any of the largo 'O' Orthodox churches), but doctrine does not a Christian make. Teach the truth, let those hear who have ears to do so, and let God deal with individuals as he decides.

Christians use the Bible as their sole authority of Scripture. Anything added to that is not "Christian" (even though 90% of the US says their christian when they really aren't). naturally the agitated mormon that reads this will ask, "are you saying God can't speak to us anymore?" an my answer is, yes He can, but is it likely He would wait 1830 to let the world miss out on some "new revelation" that if it's necessary for salvation then God let people go to Hell for 1830 years and if it isn't, What did God miss in the first 66 books?

I believe they are similar but that they do not worship Christ, I would deem them Mormons as opposed to Christians.

i think they're christians because they say they worship jesus. i have nothing else to question with them

Yep, I think that they are Christaians indeed. They take Christ as the son of God and not as a prophet, they believe in both God and Jesus, therefore I would think that they are Christians. All else is additional, and what sets their specific denomonation from the others, like the importance of the Virgin Mary in Catholicism.

...wrong

They can't be Christian if they violate God's law continually at every level. They take multiple wives, they abuse children, etc. And they violated what the Lord God said through John in Revelation about not adding or taking away from the Word. And if they are not Christian, they must be a cult. And that's what I think about any other religion that is wrong too.

this entire world, Christain and Jews will be so shocked when Judgement comes.... Christian or not is Jesus call, not ours, worry about our individual selves doing and worshipping and enduring,,,, "He who is FIRST, will be Last"

Jesus said, "Why do you call me LORD,LORD, yet do not do as I say?"

“We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense… it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century.” —John Taylor (3rd LDS Prophet), 1858, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 167

The term "Christian" is two Greek words. Christos – Greek for the Messiah, and ianos – “pertaining to” or “part of”. It could mean Christians are a “A part of Christ” or it could be degrading as ionos also was used to to denote slaves as property (Phil 4:22 Caesarini meant Ceasar's household). It could mean "slaves to Christ". Both would be valid. The term is applicable today. the Holy Spirit has approved this term and we are to glory in it. When Agrippa told Paul he almost persuades him to be a Christian in Acts 26, Pauls says "“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today". 1 Peter 4:15-16 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. Some people are referring to adding and removing Scriptures. I agree Rev 22 refers to that book. There are other verses however that do deal with the topic better. One of the core justifications of the Book of Mormon is that the bible is incomplete and has been corrupted and the Book of Mormon is then required. 1 Nephi 13:26,28 - for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; .. there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God. 1 Nephi 13:29 - because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.” 2 Nephi 29:3,6,10 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. ... Wherefore because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written” Mormons define the line the line themselves with the book of Mormon: "The Book of Mormon must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God. If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions. The nature of the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; If false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it. [Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1850] Orson Pratt again says "“If it be admitted that the apostles and evangelists did write the books of the New Testament, that does not prove of itself that they were divinely inspired at the time they wrote. Add all this imperfection to the uncertainty of the translation, and who, in his right mind, could for one moment suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide? Who knows that even one verse of the Bible has escaped pollution, so as to convey the same sense now that it did in the original?” [Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1850] “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” [Joseph Smith – 8th Article of Faith] Well if we can't trust a single verse to be correct, how much faith can you put in it? Where as the Book of Mormon is accepted as the word of God. I like the way Orson Pratt put it: "If it could be proven from scripture that God had revealed to man all that He ever intended to reveal, then a professed revelation would not require investigation; for it would be known at once, that everything of the kind was an imposition. It would be folly in the extreme to inquire whether a professed new revelation were true or false; for if God had declared in His word that no more was to be given, all writings or books purporting to be a new revelation could not be otherwise than false." [Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1850] Well can it be proven from Scripture that God revealed all He intended to in the bible alone? If so, the Book of Mormon must be false and all those who follow it are lost according to Mormon church leaders. I. Jesus Promised His Apostles all truth John 16:12-14 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" II. The Apostles received all truth 1 Cor 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 2 Peter 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, If the apostles received all things pertaining to life and godliness, and did not receive the Book of Mormon, than those writings do not pertain to life and godliness. Eph. 3:3-7 Paul writes "by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: whereof I was made a minister ...... (See also Col. 1:26; 1 Peter 1: 1-12; Romans 16:25-26) Paul said Christ had been a mystery before and had now been revealed to the apostles. According to 2 Nephi 25:19, 2 Nephi 26:12, 2 Nephi 30:2, and 2 Nephi 31:17 the mystery of christ had been revealed around 545 BC. Why would Paul not know this if he had all truth? III. The Apostles delivered all truth and established it to be passed on for future generations. Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole council of God. Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. II Tim 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. IV. It was delivered one time for all time Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (KJV) I know Mormons are partial to the King James, but look at how all other versions translate this ASV: “which was once for all delivered” NIV: “that was once for all entrusted” NKJV “which was once for all delivered” The same word is used in the following verses Heb 9:27 it is appointed for men to die once and after this the judgment. man dies one time for all time before the judgment Heb 10:10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Christ died one time for all time KJV translates the word the same way here V. The apostles delivered it in writing John 20:30-31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. They refered to these writings as Scripture. In 1 Tim 5:18 Paul quotes Deut 25:4 and Luke 10:7 as Scripture. Peter refers to Pauls writings as Scripture. These writings would be refered to by future generations. II Peter 3:15-16 And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. I John 1:3-4 That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 2 Peter 3:1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior. VI. It was guaranteed against corruption II Peter 3:15-16 Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the LORD endures forever.” Now this is the word by which the gospel was preached to you. "A careful study of the variants of the various earliest manuscripts reveals that none of them affects a single doctrine of Scripture. The system of spiritual truth contained in the standard Hebrew text of the Old Testament is not in the slightest altered or compromised by any of the variant readings found in the Hebrew manuscripts ... It is very evident that the vast majority of them are so inconsequential as to leave the meaning of each clause doctrinally unaffected" [Gleason Archer, Survey of the Old Testament, pg. 25] There are over 5,686 hand written Greek N.T. manuscripts, 10,000 Latin Vulgate, close to 25,000 manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament exist today [Norman Geisler, Unshakable Foundations, p. 257]. "Only about one-eighth of all the variants had any weight, as most of them are merely mechanical matters such as spelling or style. Of the whole, then, only about one-sixtieth rise above `trivialities,' or can in any sense be called `substantial variations.' Mathematically this would compute to a text that is 98.33 percent pure" [Norman Geisler and William Nix, A General Introduction to the Bible, pg. 365] “If Comparative trivialities such as changes of order, the insertion or omission of the the article with proper names, and the like are set aside, the words in our opinion still subject to doubt can hardly amount to more than a thousandth part of the New Testament.” [B.F. Westcott and F.J.A. Hort, The New Testament in the Original Greek, Vol. 1, p.2] Look at what this scholar says .... For a book to undergo progressive uncovering of its manuscript history and come out with so little debatable in its text is a great tribute to its essential authenticity. First, no new manuscript discovery has produced serious differences in the essential story. This survey has disclosed the leading textual controversies, and together they would be well within one percent of the text. Stated differently, all manuscripts agree on the essential correctness of 99 percent of all the verses in the New Testament. [Dr. Richard L. Anderson – Professor Emeritus of Ancient Scripture at B.Y.U., Senior research fellow at Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at B.Y.U.] While Mormon heirarchy disputes this as doctrine, their scholars say we have the bible preserved for us today. VII. It is the only gospel and the standard for any teaching that would be done for all generations. Gal 1:8-9 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. What a verse... Paul, an apsostle says if "we", an apostle, or somebody claiming to be an apostle (Orson Pratt, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, Bruce McKonkie, etc) or an angel from heaven (Moroni, heavenly messenger, etc) teaches any other gospel than what was delivered by the apostles, let him be accursed. Remember the challenged issued by Mormons ... “If it could be proven from scripture that God had revealed to man all that He ever intended to reveal, then a professed revelation would not require investigation; for it would be known at once, that everything of the kind was an imposition. It would be folly in the extreme to inquire whether a professed new revelation were true or false; for if God had declared in His word that no more was to be given, all writings or books purporting to be a new revelation could not be otherwise than false.” [Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1850] I think I just did that ..... Now go back and read Gal 1:8-9 again and see if Mormon's are right with God. I. Jesus promised all truth. II. The apostles received all truth. III. The apostles delivered all truth. IV. It was delivered one time, for all time. V. It was delivered in writing. VI. It was guaranteed against corruption. VII. It is the only gospel and the standard for any teaching that would be done for all generations. 2 John 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

The term Christian these days is very flippantly used. It is often assumed that Because one is american they are a Christian. In Europe, it is believed anyone in any form of religion even down to scientology is considered christian. However to go from Fundamental pillars of Christianity, Mormons are not Christians. It is interesting this debate is taking place because 20 years ago at the LDS Temple in salt lake city, utah. The Mormons giving the tour would always distinguish how they were different from Christianity. Nowadays, they are trying to point out how they are the same. But I supposed the most fundamental difference between Christians and Mormons would be the belief the Scripture Canon. Mormons believe it is still open. Christians believe it's closed. I'm just pointing out the differences. for example the book of mormon, D & C and the pearl of great price. Also Joseph Smith is a rather touchy point that Christians and mormons do not agree on. Which I guess is where it's all hinged.

check out this website. alwaysbeready.com it explains a lot of that better than i could in 1000 symbols. Oops this was supposed to go into a comment.

They believe in Jesus Christ , that makes them Christians

Yes. They are a counterfeit of Christianity created in a masonry lodge to advance the New World Order. My 2 cents.

Mormons are not Christians as they have another Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. the Jesus of the mormon is the spirit brother of Lucifer.

I believe they are. They believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept him as their savior. They also believe through him is the only way into heaven.

I think Mormons are Christians. Christianity is in people's hearts. It's not in the church that they choose to attend.

Logybren, you are correct in your statements. "Christianity is in people's hearts. It's not in the church that they choose to attend." If you believe in your heart that Jesus is your Lord and savior, that he died for the forgiveness of your sins, that all sins can be forgiven by Jesus. The only way to God is through the Holey Spirit dwelling within you. and that Jesus, God (LDS heavenly Father) and holey Spirit are all One being. Not one in purpose, but one is reality, one in completeness. In other words "The Trinity Of God" Than you are a Christian, but this does not fit the Mormon belief system. If you do your research you will find that they are as far from Christianity as a Satanist is. They just call there gods by familiar Christian names, mimicing the lifestyle of Christians and adjust the Bible to meet there needs. They are very coniving and tricky in that they make it sound so very close to Christian Doctrine, that it looks real. A plastic apple, no matter how real it looks is still an imitation of the real thing. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mormonism+trinity&btnG=Search

I personally believe that to be a Christian you have to believe that Jesus is the one and only son of God and that he died for your sins. I live in Utah and am surrounded by Mormons everywhere I go and have been to a few of their services and the thing that strikes me most is that they drink plain water instead of wine or grape juice like every other church I have been to drinks for communinion. I asked my pastor about this and because in the LDS faith the blood of Christ means little or nothing to them. It is hard to say this because about 3/4 of the people I know are Mormons including every single person on my dad's side of the family. And also ask a Mormon what it means to be born again and they have no idea and they say that is because they came from heaven and were born again on earth. That is because they believe everyone is a direct child of God. This is just a generalization though. I have met Mormons who I truely believe are Christians but most of them actually worship Hinckley and Smith more than they do Jesus. Just go to any Mormons myspace page and you will see a picture of Hinkcley or Smith but never one of Jesus

They are not Christians. The LDS church stands on un biblical grounds. They believe that Jesus is not God. The Holy Spirit is not God. The Holy Spirit is not Christ. Jesus was just another prophet, he just happened to be the greatest prophet. That God was once a man who progressed to a god. That LDS men may and will progress to a god. Onced progressed they will have thier own world such as ours. That their are more gods than can be counted. You get the point... right?

First of all, I speak as a non-christian. I do see Mormons as Christians. First off, they consider Jesus Christ their lord and saviour, secondly, they carry out works in his name. To me, this fits perfectly with what I beleive about christians. Everything else is non-relavant to me.

Do not give me negative points. Somebody says that mormons are full of fantasty.

It depends on how you define Christian. If you define someone a Christian who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ then Mormons are Christians. If you define someone a Christian who believes Jesus Christ is God the Son and the second person of the Holy Trinity then Mormons are not Christians. With love in Christ.

Mormons are Christians. - Christians are those who accept Christ as their guiding authority, and attempt, to the best of their ability, to pattern their lives according to his teaching. - This does NOT require that a person CORRECTLY understand ANYTHING Christ said. - In fact, if a completely correct understanding of what Christ said is required in order to be a Christian, then there are none, and never have been excepting only Christ himself. Defining others who are trying to follow Christs teachings as non Christian is a lazy man's way to get people to believe they should be ignored without explaining why.

They aren't when your talking to other christians. But they'd never say it to a mormons face.

There Is Nothing More Pagan Mormon Teaching Issue Date: January/February 1985 You will never learn Mormon doctrine from their Articles of Faith. Those are written to hide their teachings from "gentile" readers. You must look into their secret temple ceremonies and the writings of their prophets. Here are some of the surprising results. Mormon scripture consists of four books. They are: (1) The Book of Mormon (2) Doctrine and Covenants (3) Pearl of Great Price and (4) The Bible (in that order). The first three books seriously contradict the Bible. Mormons often ignore the Bible, claiming it is "mis-translated." Joseph Smith was God's prophet. "No man can come to Christ except through Joseph Smith." Prophets are better than Scriptures. The words of a Mormon prophet supercede those of the written Scriptures. God was once a man who progressed to Godhood. Mormons believe we can do the same. Their God has a physical body of flesh and bone. There are many gods in heaven. God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are supposedly separate gods, united only in purpose. God is having kids. Surrounded by what must be 1,000 or more wives, God is having little spirit babies which will inhabit the people born on the earth. The number of babies this requires Him to produce daily is incredible! No explanation is given why their God of flesh and bone, having babies through physical sexual contact with his wives, has only spirit babies. They teach that Mary married God to have Jesus (or else He would have been illegitimate) and then divorced him to marry Joseph. Dark skin results from a "curse" placed upon certain spirits, presumably for some failure during "pre-existence." This anti-Negro doctrine is an embarrassment for Mormon leaders, and they are under great pressure to change it. Women need husbands for resurrection at the end of time. Without a man to "lift the veil" over her face on resurrection day she won't make it. She is desperate to see her husband remain a true Mormon so she may be resurrected. Women's liberation has not made great inroads here. Jesus had many wives. They say Mary and Martha were among his wives. One Mormon authority said Jesus was killed for his polygamy. The Book of Mormon is infallible. Mormon Articles of Faith say, "We believe the Bible to be the Word of God as far as it is translated correctly: we also believe The Book of Mormon to be the Word of God." They claim anything in the Bible which denies Mormon teaching is "incorrectly translated." Polygamy in heaven will be the rule. While early Mormon leaders taught and practiced polygamy, today few practice it due to fear of arrest. However, they teach that men (but not women) will be polygamists in heaven. Marriage for eternity is performed in Mormon temples. Perhaps they consider Jesus' words to the contrary (Matt. 22:30) are "mis-translated." "Holy underwear" is put on during the Mormon marriage ceremony (performed only in the temple). These "garments" must always touch the body for the rest of life. This is supposed to keep the "anointing oil" of the temple ceremony from escaping. Some irreverently call then "angel pants." Baptism for the dead is done to provide non-Mormon ancestors a place in "celestial glory." Mormons spend great sums on genealogical research to find relatives who had no Mormon baptism. They say no one can get to heaven without baptism, and heaven has no water, so they baptize the living for their dead. Proxy marriage for the dead is performed in Mormon temples. Mormons believe that loved ones who died outside Mormonism will live alone in the hereafter. Mormons conduct proxy weddings to "seal" these dead ones so they can be husband and wife in heaven. Three heavens (degrees of glory) are taught: "Celestial," "Terrestrial," and "Telestial." All except the worst sinners (doomed to perdition) are expected to go to one of these. Only Mormons who marry in the Temple, keep the "Word of Wisdom" and wear their "garments" can get to the Celestial kingdom. God is supposed to be there. Those whose works aren't good enough, are stuck with the lower levels, where they are denied the "joys" of a polygamous eternity. There is no hell according to current Mormon teaching. Even though The Book of Mormon teaches about hell, Mormons deny its existence. Much of current Mormon teaching contradicts their "infallible" Book of Mormon. The one true church is the Mormon church. All others are apostate. Many of their doctrines, taught by Mormon "prophets," are a great embarrassment to present Mormon leaders. They are even attempting to deny that their great prophets ever taught some of theses things. But the historical record is clear. The writings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and others include the above doctrines. Obviously Mormonism, which bases its claim to be the true church on the absolute reliability of early Mormon prophets, is proving today that those prophets were not speaking the words of an infallible God. Mormonism is continually changing and self-contradictory. Imagine being born into this pagan system, believing with all your heart that it is the only truth! May God give us compassion and boldness to lead Mormons to abandon this horrendous mixture and find life-changing faith in Jesus Christ!

I think that *most* Mormons are also Christian. Christian is a personal status. You don't become a Christian just because you were baptized into this group or that. You don't stop being a Christian upon leaving a certain group or joining another group. Being Christian mean you accept Jesus as your Christ and try to live your life they way you think he would want.

a child of God believes in HIS Word & accepts the Father,Son & Holy Spirit..& dies his best to live accordingly......

I believe Mormon are Christians hence the name, "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" but Mormons do not fully believe the Word of God and in my opinion won't go to heaven. Yes, Mormons believe in God. But they have their own Book of Mormon which is like a 3rd testament to them. In the Bible; Revelation 22:18 says "I testify to everyone who hears the word of prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book." Which basically says.. you add to the Bible, you're going to be cursed. Revelation 22:19 says, "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." These verses TELL us that no other ideas are allowed to be added to the Bible, or taken away, So writing the book of mormon is completely not living by the word of God. Thats what I think.

We worship Jesus Christ as the only begotten son of the living God. He is the only way that we can get to heaven. He was born to the virgin Mary, taught and healed the jews of the time, dyed so that we might be forgiven of sin and then rose from the dead so that we might live again. Are these not the basic tennants of christianity. We worship him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. I am LDS and I am Christian.

I just have one more question. When a missionary is at your front door and you tell them you are a Christian, do they so "Oh, great, God bless you" and walk away? No. If they were Christians they would walk away, the fact that they pursue to convert you even after you tell them you are a Christian is proof in itself

Mormons,(LDS) are most definitely Christian, according to the Bible, and our other scriptures. We are not Protestsnt Orthodox Christians, nor do we claim such. We are not mainstream Christians either. I shall explain the difference. The Bible tells us how to become a Christian. In Acts 2;37,38, we read.."Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." We have here the first sermon preached by the Apostles after Christ ascended into heaven, after spending 40 days with them. Also on this occasion the Apostles had just received the Holy Ghost as promised by Christ. So what did they say? They gave 4 steps whereby one may become a member of Christs Church. Members of Christs Church were called Christians. Step #1. Have Faith in Jesus Christ. 2. Repent of all your sins. 3. Be Baptized for the remission of sins. 4. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Now the Protestant Orthodox Christians may qualify for the first two steps, but they cannot qualify for steps 3 and 4. Because Baptism is an ordinance which can only be performed by someone holding the Priesthood from God, as did the Apostles. And step 4 also requires that same Priesthood from God to lay hands on the head of the baptized individual to bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Protestant Christians do not have that Priesthood, nor do they claim such. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only Church today that does have that Priesthood. Peter, James, and John, the three chief Apostles of Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829 and conferred upon them the Priesthood and Ordained them Apostles. Therefore, we are the only people today who can qualify as Bible Christians. But we have no problem with the Protestants and Catholics calling themselves Christians also. They are just not Christians in the same way The Latter Day Saints claim. But we are both Christians as we claim...Whew4

All Christians believe in Christ, all Mormons believe in Christ, therefore all Mormons are Christians. You really shouldn't have bothered asking.

Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are both Christian denominations. - A Christian is one who accepts Christ as his guide. The definition does not require that the Christian be CORRECT in all of his beliefs. Nor does it require that he be correct in ANY of his beliefs. It only requires that he follow Christ to the best of his understanding and ability. - I have looked at the definitions of Christian used by those who say Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not. I have yet to find one that does not boil down to "I am a Christian. You believe something different than I do. Therefore you are not a Christian."

Since there are at least two different definitions for Christian, I suppose one would have to ask, of which Christian definition are we referring? The most common definition given by the majority of Orthodox Christians does not even began to fit the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But does that mean we are not Christian? The definition by which the Church of Jesus Christ claims to be Christian, comes from the Bible, generally speaking. Shortly after Jesus had ascended into heaven, after his resurrection, his Apostles returned to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost, promised to them by Jesus. On the day of Pentecost, while they were meeting in the upper room, they received a heavenly manifestation in the form described as "Tongues of Fire." Shortly after this we find the Apostles outside among the people preaching the Gospel with power and conviction. So powerful in fact that we read in Acts 2;37,38.."Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." This simple explanation is the Lord's way of telling us how to become a "Christian". Because that is what the members of Christs Church were called, "first in Antioch." And there is no other method given in the whole Bible, for how one may become a Christian, or follower of Christ. It is this method by which all "Mormons" qualify as true Christians. 1.Have Faith in Jesus Christ. 2.Repent of all our sins. 3.Be Baptized by immersion, by one holding the Priesthood from God. 4.Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, by those holding the same Priesthood as the Apostles of old. On May 15,1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, on the banks of the Susquehanna River and bestowed upon them the Aaronic Priesthood. Giving them the authority to Baptize. A short time later, Peter, James and John also appeared to them and bestowed on them, by the laying on of hands, the Melchizedek Priesthood which they received directly from Jesus Christ. Giving them authority to bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost, among other things. As a result, all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are truly called Christians. We do not claim to be Orthodox Christian, as the more common term of Christian is used today. But we do qualify as Christians according to the Bible definition...Later

No, I don't believe that. . The teacher they choose to follow is Jesus Christ. That alone makes them Christians. . The differences between what they make of his teachings and what others make of them does not change that in the least.

Do I think Mormons are not Christian, no I do not think so... I know they are not Christian. TO THOSE WHO ARE INVESTIGATING "MORMONISM" By RICHARD PACKHAM Revisions as of October 6, 2007 If you are investigating Mormonism (the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" or "LDS Church"), you are probably studying it in private meetings in your home with missionaries from that church. Here are some of the key things that they are probably telling you: Mormonism began in 1820 when a teen-aged boy in western New York named Joseph Smith was spurred by a Christian revival where he lived to pray to God for guidance as to which church was true. In answer to his prayers he was visited by God the Father and God the Son, two separate beings, who told him to join no church because all the churches at that time were false, and that he, Joseph, would bring forth the true church. This event is called "The First Vision." In 1823 Joseph had another heavenly visitation, in which an angel named Moroni told him of a sacred history written by ancient Hebrews in America, engraved in an Egyptian dialect on tablets of gold and buried in a nearby hill. Joseph was told it was the history of the ancient peoples of America, and that Joseph would be the instrument for bringing this record to the knowledge of the world. Joseph obtained these gold plates from the angel in 1827, and translated them into English by the spirit of God and the use of a sacred instrument accompanying the plates called the "Urim and Thummim." The translation was published in 1830 as The Book of Mormon, now revered by Mormons as scripture, along with the Bible. The Book of Mormon is a religious and secular history of the inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere from about 2200 BC to about 421 AD. It tells the reader that three groups of immigrants settled the uninhabited Americas. They were led by God from their original homes in the Near East to America. The first group came from the Tower of Babel, about 2200 BC, and two other groups came from Jerusalem just before the Babylonian Captivity, about 600 BC. They had prophets of God who had been inspired with the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is thus preserved in their history, the Book of Mormon. Many of the descendants of these immigrants were Christians, even before Christ was born in Palestine, but many were unbelievers. Believers and unbelievers fought many wars, the last of which left only degenerate unbelievers as survivors, who are the ancestors of the American Indians. The most important event during this long history was the visit of Jesus Christ to America, after his crucifixion, when he ministered to (and converted) all the inhabitants. Joseph Smith was directed by revelation from God to reestablish ("restore") the true church, which he did in 1830. He was visited several times by heavenly messengers, who ordained him to the true priesthood. He continued to have revelations from God to guide the church and to give more knowledge of the Gospel. Many of these revelations are published in the Doctrine and Covenants, accepted by Mormons as scripture, along with the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith and his followers were continually persecuted for their religious beliefs, and driven from New York State to Ohio, then to Missouri, then to Illinois, where Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844 by a mob, a martyr to his beliefs. The church was then led by Brigham Young, Joseph's successor, to Utah, where the Mormons settled successfully. The LDS church is led today by the successors of Joseph Smith. The present president of the church is a "prophet, seer and revelator" just as Joseph Smith was, and guides the members of the church through revelations and guidance from God. The modern LDS church is the only true church, as restored by God through Joseph Smith. Other churches, derived from the early Christian church, are in apostasy because their leaders corrupted the scriptures, changed the ordinances of the original church, and often led corrupt lives, thus losing their authority. The most reliable way to determine whether the Book of Mormon is true, and whether the Mormon church is "the only true church" is by sincerely asking God in prayer. By accepting baptism into the LDS church you take the first step necessary toward your salvation and your ultimate entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven (the "Celestial Kingdom"). WHAT THE MISSIONARIES WILL NOT TELL YOU Until recently, the missionaries were required to present Mormonism in six "discussions", which were a series of memorized sales talks. They are now encouraged simply to "follow the spirit" in their presentations. The basic message and approach, however, is still essentially the same. A thorough, thoughtful and balanced discussion of each of the six "official" lessons as the missionaries formerly presented them to investigators is at http://www.lds4u.com, together with the techniques and strategies which the missionaries are instructed to use. (The actual texts of the discussions were also on this site at one time, but the Mormon church threatened the webmaster with a lawsuit, and he removed them; click on "next" at each window to read a summary and commentary.) Here is a summary of important facts about the Mormon church, its doctrine, and its history that the missionaries will probably not tell you. We are not suggesting that they are intentionally deceiving you --most of the young Mormons serving missions for the church are not well educated in the history of the church or in modern critical studies of the church. They probably do not know the all the facts themselves. They have been trained, however, to give investigators "milk before meat," that is, to postpone revealing anything at all that might make an investigator hesitant, even if it is true. But you should be aware of these facts before you commit yourself. Each of the following facts has been substantiated by thorough historical scholarship. And this list is by no means exhaustive! For links to articles substantiating each of these points, CLICK on the word NOTES following the item. The "First Vision" story in the form presented to you was unknown until 1838, eighteen years after its alleged occurrence and almost ten years after Smith had begun his missionary efforts. The oldest (but quite different) version of the vision is in Smith's own handwriting, dating from about 1832 (still at least eleven years afterwards), and says that only one personage, Jesus Christ, appeared to him. It also mentions nothing about a revival. It also contradicts the later account as to whether Smith had already decided that no church was true. Still a third version of this event is recorded as a recollection in Smith's diary, fifteen years after the alleged vision, where one unidentified "personage" appeared, then another, with a message implying that neither was the Son. They were accompanied by many "angels," which are not mentioned in the official version you have been told about. Which version is correct, if any? Why was this event, now said by the church to be so important, unknown for so long? NOTES Careful study of the religious history of the locale where Smith lived in 1820 casts doubt on whether there actually was such an extensive revival that year as Smith and his family later described as associated with the "First Vision." The revivals in 1817 and 1824 better fit what Smith described later. NOTES In 1828, eight years after he supposedly had been told by God himself to join no church, Smith applied for membership in a local Methodist church. Other members of his family had joined the Presbyterians. NOTES Contemporaries of Smith consistently described him as something of a confidence man, whose chief source of income was hiring out to local farmers to help them find buried treasure by the use of folk magic and "seer stones." Smith was actually tried in 1826 on a charge of moneydigging. NOTES It is interesting that none of his critics seemed to be aware of his claim to have been visited by God in 1820, even though in his 1838 account he claimed that he had suffered "great persecution" for telling people of his vision. The only persons who claimed to have actually seen the gold plates were eleven close friends of Smith (many of them related to each other). Their testimonies are printed in the front of every copy of the Book of Mormon. No disinterested third party was ever allowed to examine them. They were retrieved by the angel at some unrecorded point. Most of the witnesses later abandoned Smith and left his movement. Smith then called them "liars." NOTES Smith produced most of the "translation" not by reading the plates through the Urim and Thummim (described as a pair of sacred spectacles), but by gazing at the same "seer stone" he had used for treasure hunting. He would place the stone into his hat, and then cover his face with it. For much of the time he was dictating, the gold plates were not even present, but in a hiding place. NOTES The detailed history and civilization described in the Book of Mormon does not correspond to anything found by archaeologists anywhere in the Americas. The Book of Mormon describes a civilization lasting for a thousand years, covering both North and South America, which was familiar with horses, elephants, cattle, sheep, wheat, barley, steel, wheeled vehicles, shipbuilding, sails, coins, and other elements of Old World culture. But no trace of any of these supposedly very common things has ever been found in the Americas of that period. Nor does the Book of Mormon mention many of the features of the civilizations which really did exist at that time in the Americas. The LDS church has spent millions of dollars over many years trying to prove through archaeological research that the Book of Mormon is an accurate historical record, but they have failed to produce any convincing pre-columbian archeological evidence supporting the Book of Mormon story. In addition, whereas the Book of Mormon presents the picture of a relatively homogeneous people, with a single language and communication between distant parts of the Americas, the pre-columbian history of the Americas shows the opposite: widely disparate racial types (almost entirely east Asian - definitely not Semitic, as proven by recent DNA studies), and many unrelated native languages, none of which are even remotely related to Hebrew or Egyptian. NOTES The people of the Book of Mormon were supposedly devout Jews observing the Law of Moses, but in the Book of Mormon there is almost no trace of their observance of Mosaic law or even an accurate knowledge of it. NOTES Although Joseph Smith said that God had pronounced the completed translation of the plates as published in 1830 "correct," many changes have been made in later editions. Besides thousands of corrections of poor grammar and awkward wording in the 1830 edition, other changes have been made to reflect subsequent changes in some of the fundamental doctrine of the church. For example, an early change in wording modified the 1830 edition's acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity, thus allowing Smith to introduce his later doctrine of multiple gods. A more recent change (1981) replaced "white" with "pure," apparently to reflect the change in the church's stance on the "curse" of the black race. NOTES Joseph Smith said that the Book of Mormon contained the "fulness of the gospel." However, its teaching on many doctrinal subjects has been ignored or contradicted by the present LDS church, and many doctrines now said by the church to be essential are not even mentioned there. Examples are the church's position on the nature of God, the Virgin Birth, the Trinity, polygamy, Hell, priesthood, secret organizations, the nature of Heaven and salvation, temples, proxy ordinances for the dead, and many other matters. NOTES Many of the basic historical notions found in the Book of Mormon had appeared in print already in 1825, just two years before Smith began producing the Book of Mormon, in a book called View of the Hebrews, by Ethan Smith (no relation) and published just a few miles from where Joseph Smith lived. A careful study of this obscure book led one LDS church official (the historian B. H. Roberts, 1857-1933) to confess that the evidence tended to show that the Book of Mormon was not an ancient record, but concocted by Joseph Smith himself, based on ideas he had read in the earlier book. NOTES Although Mormons claim that God is guiding the LDS church through its president (who has the title "prophet, seer and revelator"), the successive "prophets" have repeatedly either led the church into undertakings that were dismal failures or failed to see approaching disaster. To mention only a few: the Kirtland Bank, the United Order, the gathering of Zion to Missouri, the Zion's Camp expedition, polygamy, the Deseret Alphabet NOTES. A recent example is the successful hoax perpetrated on the church by manuscript dealer Mark Hofmann in the 1980s. He succeeded in selling the church thousands of dollars worth of manuscripts which he had forged. The church and its "prophet, seer and revelator" accepted them as genuine historical documents. The church leaders learned the truth not from God, through revelation, but from non-Mormon experts and the police, after Hofmann was arrested for two murders he committed to cover up his hoax. This scandal was reported nationwide. NOTES The secret temple ritual (the "endowment") was introduced by Smith in May, 1842, just two months after he had been initiated into Freemasonry. The LDS temple ritual closely resembles the Masonic ritual of that day. NOTES Smith explained that the Masons had corrupted the ancient (God-given) ritual by changing it and removing parts of it, and that he was restoring it to its "pure" and "original" (and complete) form, as revealed to him by God. In the years since, the LDS church has made many fundamental changes in the "pure and original" ritual as "restored" by Smith, mostly by removing major parts of it. NOTES Many doctrines which were once taught by the LDS church, and held to be fundamental, essential and "eternal", have been abandoned. Whether we feel that the church was correct in abandoning them is not the point; rather, the point is that a church claiming to be the church of God takes one "everlasting" position at one time and the opposite position at another, all the time claiming to be proclaiming the word of God. Some examples are: - The Adam-God doctrine (Adam is God the Father); NOTES - the United Order (all property of church members is to be held in common, with title in the church); - Plural Marriage (polygamy; a man must have more than one wife to attain the highest degree of heaven); NOTES - the Curse of Cain (the black race is not entitled to hold God's priesthood because it is cursed; this doctrine was not abandoned until 1978); NOTES - Blood Atonement (some sins - apostasy, adultery, murder, interracial marriage - must be atoned for by the shedding of the sinner's blood, preferably by someone appointed to do so by church authorities); NOTES All of these doctrines were proclaimed by the reigning prophet to be the Word of God, "eternal," "everlasting," to govern the church "forevermore." All have been abandoned by the present church. Joseph Smith's early revelations were collected and first published in 1833 in the Book of Commandments. God (as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants Sections 1 and 67) supposedly testified by revelation that the revelations as published were true and correct. Because the Book of Commandments did not receive wide distribution (most copies were destroyed by angry opponents of the Mormons in Missouri, where it was published), they were republished - with additional revelations - as the Doctrine and Covenants in 1835 in Kirtland, Ohio. However, many of the revelations as published in Kirtland differed fundamentally from their versions as originally given. The changes generally gave more power and authority to Smith, and justified changes he was making in church organization and theology. The question naturally arises as to why revelations which God had pronounced correct needed to be revised. NOTES Joseph Smith claimed to have received the priesthood (the only valid priesthood recognized by God) directly from resurrected beings (angels): the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist and the Mechizedek (higher) Priesthood from Peter, James and John. However, the accounts of these visitations are contradictory and questionable. NOTES Joseph Smith claimed to be a "translator" by the power of God. In addition to the Book of Mormon, he made several other "translations": - The Book of Abraham, from Egyptian papyrus scrolls which came into his possession in 1835. He stated that the scrolls were written by the biblical Abraham "by his own hand." Smith's translation is now accepted as scripture by the LDS church, as part of its Pearl of Great Price. Smith also produced an "Egyptian Grammar" based on his translation. Modern scholars of ancient Egyptian agree that the scrolls are common Egyptian funeral scrolls, entirely pagan in nature, having nothing to do with Abraham, and from a period 2000 years later than Abraham. The "Grammar" has been said by Egyptologists to prove that Smith had no notion of the Egyptian language. It is pure fantasy: he made it up. NOTES - The "Inspired Revision" of the King James Bible. Smith was commanded by God to retranslate the Bible because the existing translations contained errors. He completed his translation in 1833, but the church still uses the King James Version. NOTES - The "Kinderhook Plates," a group of six metal plates with strange engraved characters, unearthed in 1843 near Kinderhook, Illinois, and examined by Smith, who began a "translation" of them. He never completed the translation, but he identified the plates as an "ancient record," and translated enough to identify the author as a descendant of Pharaoh. Local farmers later confessed that they had manufactured, engraved and buried the plates themselves as a hoax. They had apparently copied the characters from a Chinese tea box. NOTES Joseph Smith claimed to be a "prophet." He frequently prophesied future events "by the power of God." Many of these prophecies are recorded in the LDS scripture Doctrine and Covenants. Almost none have been fulfilled, and many cannot now be fulfilled because the deeds to be done by the persons named were never done and those persons are now dead. Many prophecies included dates for their fulfillment, and those dates are now long past, the events never having occurred. NOTES Joseph Smith died not as a martyr, but in a gun battle in which he fired a number of shots. He was in jail at the time, under arrest for having ordered the destruction of a Nauvoo newspaper which dared to print an exposure (which was true) of his secret sexual liaisons. At that time he had announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States, set up a secret government, and secretly had himself crowned "King of the Kingdom of God." NOTES Since the founding of the church down to the present day the church leaders have not hesitated to lie, to falsify documents, to rewrite or suppress history, or to do whatever is necessary to protect the image of the church. Many Mormon historians have been excommunicated from the church for publishing their findings on the truth of Mormon history. NOTES Trying to determine the truth by relying entirely on the feelings one gets after praying is not a reliable way to learn the truth. One can easily deceive oneself into "feeling" something that is really not true at all. The only reliable way to get to the truth is to examine verifiable facts. NOTES Mormonism includes many other unusual teachings which you will probably not be told about until you have been in the church for a long time. These teachings are not revealed to investigators or new converts because those people are not yet considered ready to have more than "milk" as doctrine. The Mormons also probably realize that if investigators knew of these unusual teachings they would not join the church. In addition to those mentioned elsewhere in this article, the following are noteworthy: NOTES God was once a man like us. God has a tangible body of flesh and bone. God lives on a planet near the star Kolob. God ("Heavenly Father") has at least one wife, our "Mother in Heaven," but she is so holy that we are not to discuss her nor pray to her. Jesus was married. We can become like God and rule over our own universe. There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds. Jesus and Satan ("Lucifer") are brothers, and they are our brothers - we are all spirit children of Heavenly Father Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary, who was temporarily his wife. We should not pray to Jesus, nor try to feel a personal relationship with him. The "Lord" ("Jehovah") in the Old Testament is the being named Jesus in the New Testament, but different from "God the Father" ("Elohim"). In the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife. Before coming to this earth we lived as spirits in a "pre-existence", during which we were tested; our position in this life (whether born to Mormons or savages, or in America or Africa) is our reward or punishment for our obedience in that life. Dark skin is a curse from God, the result of our sin, or the sin of our ancestors. If sufficiently righteous, a dark-skinned person will become light-skinned. The Garden of Eden was in Missouri. All humanity before the Great Flood lived in the western hemisphere. The Ark transported Noah and the other survivors to the eastern hemisphere. Not only will human beings be resurrected to eternal life, but also all animals - everything that has ever lived on earth - will be resurrected and dwell in heaven. Christ will not return to earth in any year that has seen a rainbow. Mormons should avoid traveling on water, since Satan rules the waters. The sun receives its light from the star Kolob. If a Gentile becomes Mormon, the Holy Ghost actually purges his Gentile blood and replaces it with Israelite blood. A righteous Mormon will actually see the face of God in the Mormon temple. You can identify a false angel by the color of his hair, or by offering to shake his hand. YOUR LIFE AS A MORMON If you should decide to become a member of the LDS church, you should be aware of what your life in the church will be like. Although you will find yourself warmly accepted by a lively community of healthy, active and generally supportive people, many of whom are very happy in Mormonism and could not imagine their lives without it, there is another side: You will be continually reminded that to enter the highest degree of heaven (the "Celestial Kingdom"), you will have to go through the endowment ceremony in the temple and have your marriage to your Mormon spouse "sealed." (If your spouse is not Mormon, or if you are not married, you cannot enter the highest degree of heaven.) To get permission to have these ceremonies performed in the temple, you must prove yourself to be a faithful and obedient member of the church and do everything commanded by the church authorities, from the Prophet down to the local level. You will have to undergo a personal "worthiness" interview with the local church authorities inquiring into your private life and your religious and social activities. NOTES You will be expected to donate at least ten percent of your income to the church as tithing. Other donations will be expected as the need arises. You will never see an accounting of how this money is spent, or how much the church receives, or anything at all about its financial condition; the church keeps its finances secret, even from its members. NOTES You will be expected to give up the use of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea. NOTES You will be expected to fulfill any work assignment given to you. These assignments may be teaching, record keeping, janitorial work, cannery or farm work, helping in the Sunday nursery - any job that needs to be done. Each task you perform successfully will make you eligible for others, with more responsibility and more demands upon your time. The members who perform these jobs, even those involving sensitive pastoral counseling, receive no formal training whatsoever (there is no paid, trained clergy). You will be told that God has called you to your assignments. Many Mormons find much of their spare time taken up with church work, trying to fulfill the numerous assignments that have been given them. You will be expected to be unquestioningly obedient to church authorities in whatever they might tell you to do. "Follow the Brethren" is the slogan, and it means to follow without doubt or question. Discussion of whether a decree from above is correct is discouraged. You will be expected to have faith that the leaders cannot possibly lead you astray. Even if they should tell you something which contradicts what a previous prophet may have said, you will be told "A living prophet takes precedence over a dead prophet." NOTES You will be able to "vote" on those who have been called to positions of authority over you, but the voting will be by the show of hands in a public meeting. Only one candidate for each office will be voted on (the one "called by God"). The voting is therefore almost always unanimous in favor of the candidate. You will be advised not to read any material which is "not faith-promoting," that is, which may be critical or questioning of the church or its leaders, or which might place the church or its leaders in an unfavorable light. You will be advised not to associate with "apostates," that is, former Mormons. (You will be asked in your "worthiness" interview about this.) NOTES If you are unmarried, you will be encouraged to marry a good Mormon as soon as possible. When you do marry, in a wedding ceremony in the temple, your non-Mormon family members and friends will not be allowed to attend the ceremony, because only "worthy" Mormons are allowed to enter the temple. If you are homosexual, you will be pressured to abandon this "evil" aspect of your nature. If you do not, you will probably not be fully accepted by other church members. If you do not remain celibate, you may be excommunicated. NOTES If you are a male over 12 years of age and "worthy" (that is, if you are obedient, attend meetings, do not masturbate NOTES, etc.), you will be ordained to one of the levels of priesthood, and, if you continue to be faithful and obedient, you will gradually advance through the priesthood ranks. If you are female, you will receive the benefits of priesthood authority only indirectly, through your Mormon father or your Mormon husband. The role of the Mormon woman is to be a wife and mother and to obey and honor her priest husband (or father). NOTES If you prove yourself to be faithful, hard working and obedient, you will eventually be considered worthy to "receive your endowment" in a Mormon temple. You will not be told in advance exactly what to expect in this lengthy ceremony, except that the details of the ritual are secret (Mormons prefer to say they are just "sacred," but they treat them as though they are secret). As part of that ceremony you will be required to swear a number of oaths, the penalty for violation of which is no longer stated but until 1990 was death by various bloody methods, such as having your throat slit from ear to ear. You will be given the secret signs and passwords which are required to enter heaven. (Although most Mormons who have not received the endowment know very little about the ceremony, the entire liturgy is now available on the Internet to Mormon and non-Mormon alike.) After receiving the endowment you will be required to wear a special undergarment at all times. NOTES If you should ever decide that you made a mistake in joining the church and then leave it, you will probably find (judging from the experiences of others who have done so) that many of your Mormon friends will abandon and shun you. If you are unable to convince your family members to leave the church with you, you will find that the church has broken up your family and your relationship with them may never recover. NOTES Consider very carefully before you commit yourself, and remember that any doubts you may have now will likely only increase. Examine carefully both sides of the Mormon story. Listen to the stories of those who have been through an unhappy Mormon experience, not just those Mormons who may speak glowingly of life in the church. NOTES The Mormon missionaries are often charming and enthusiastic. They have an attractive story to tell. At first it sounds wonderful. But remember the old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" Be careful not to fall into the trap of believing something simply because you want it to be true. Mormons may tell you that those who criticize the church are lying, misquoting and distorting. If you examine the sources used by the critics, however, you will discover that most of their source material is from official or semi-official Mormon writings. You, too, should examine those sources. Is Mormonism a "cult"? Many experts on religious cults see in Mormonism the same fundamental characteristics as cults which have entrapped the unsuspecting, even though most people think of "cults" only as small, unknown groups. Use a "cult checklist" to evaluate Mormonism, or any group, before you commit yourself. NOTES To get more information about the other side of Mormonism, or to see the evidence supporting any of our statements about the church, feel free to contact us. Our only aim is to make sure that you hear both sides. We promise not to preach at you, but only to provide you with facts to balance the Mormon story. Click here for the names and e-mail addresses of people to contact. Click here to read personal stories of people who have left Mormonism. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For a version of this INVESTIGATOR'S INFORMATION TRACT which can be downloaded and printed for handing out or mailing click here. It contains instructions on how to edit it for use as a hand-out. NOTES AND LINKS TO MORE FACTS DISCLAIMER: Some of the links and references listed here, in addition to containing valuable material about Mormonism, also contain Christian proselytizing material. Their inclusion here is not intended as an endorsement of any religion or religious organization. GENERAL REFERENCES INTERNET SITES AND LISTS OF LINKS http://www.exmormon.org/goodsite.htm Links to other sites. http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/table.htm An alphabetical list, by topic, of Mormon-related links; many articles. Originally by James David. http://www.lds-mormon.com Articles and links; one of the oldest and most extensive Internet sites on Mormonism. http://www.josephlied.com Mike Norton's excellent analysis of Mormon problems. http://utlm.org/ Many articles by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, especially from their newsletter The Salt Lake City Messenger. Also several complete books are online here, including their complete book The Changing World of Mormonism. http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/mormon.shtml Text of many early Mormon publications, including the 1830 version of the Book of Mormon and the original Book of Commandments. Curt Van Den Heuvel's site. http://www.irr.org/mit "Mormons In Transition," sponsored by the Insitute for Religious Research, with many articles; Christian orientation; an on-line newsgroup, (MIT-Talk) with evangelical basis http://www.mrm.org The "Mormon Research Ministry," an evangelical Christian group headed by Bill McKeever; many good articles on Mormonism http://www.bcmmin.org/ The "Berean Christian Ministry," headed by John Farkas; many articles, a useful chronology of church history, and a long refutation of a Mormon scholar's attempt to discredit critics of the church. http://www.realmormonhistory.com A collection of historical quotations from Mormon leaders themselves which cast doubt on Mormonism. http://www.i4m.com/think/ "Rethinking Mormonism" - an excellent site by former Mormon "Deconstructor" http://trialsofascension.net/mormon.html "20 Truths About Mormonism" by Jim Day, Ph. D. http://www.TheShelf.com Convenient side-by-side listing of internet articles on both sides of controversial Mormon issues - maintained by Cora Judd http://zarahemlacitylimits.com/ "Zarahemla City Limits" - many articles and a discussion board http://mormoncurtain.com/ "Blogging the Exmormon World" - maintained by Michael Hoenie http://www.zaksite.co.uk/atozelph/twosides.htm "The church is true" "The church is not true" - Chris Tolworthy's site (formerly whyprophets.com); originally a very pro-Mormon site; Tolworthy - now no longer Mormon - presents the arguments of both sides Mormonism Disproved Christopher Miller's website Mormonism - Pro and Con Online version of Ed Bliss' book (.PDF format) http://www.helmsmansociety.com/Issues/2005/mormon052605.htm The Helmsman Society's summary of Mormonism http://mormonthink.com/scienceweb.htm "[Mormonism's] Conflicts With Science" WIKIPEDIA CAUTION! Be careful with articles on Mormon topics at the popular online reference site Wikipedia! Since all articles there are subject to editing by all comers, the Mormon church regularly edits them to remove any information that criticizes the church. For a very complete list of other websites critical of Mormonism, see Google's ranked listing HERE. BOOKS Listed here are only a few "must read" books. There are hundreds of others. If your local library does not own them, your librarian can obtain them for you on interlibrary loan, usually for a very small fee. Most books listed are linked to on-line reviews or order information. No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn M. Brodie, 2nd ed., Knopf, New York, 1993. The most authoritative biography of Joseph Smith. Brodie is a well recognized historian. Mormon America: The Power And the Promise. by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling, Harper, San Francisco, 1999, ISBN 0-06-066372-3. A well-balanced and reliable overview of Mormonism's past and present. Mormonism: Shadow or Reality by Gerald and Sandra Tanner, 5th edition, Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1987, Salt Lake City. The Tanners have done extensive research on early Mormon history and made many rare publications available by publishing photocopies of them at a low price. This book is a good summary of the contradictions and problems of Mormonism. Available from Utah Lighthouse Ministry, where a catalog of their publications is available. Also published in a slightly smaller version as The Changing World of Mormonism, Moody Press, Chicago, 1981 (now online). Inventing Mormonism: Tradition and the Historical Record by H. Michael Marquardt and Wesley P. Walters, Signature Books, Salt Lake City, 1994. A detailed examination by historians of Mormonism's origins. Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon (Second edition) by David Persuitte, McFarland & Co., 2000 Farewell to Eden: Coming to Terms With Mormonism and Science by Duwayne R. Anderson, Authorhouse, 2003 - a scientist and former Mormon examines Mormonism's scientific claims Losing a Lost Tribe: Native Americans, DNA, and the Mormon Church by Simon G. Southerton (DNA scientist, former Mormon bishop), Signature Books, 2004 An Insider's View of Mormon Origins by Grant Palmer (Mormon, retired instructor in the church's educational system); a frank disclosure of many aspects of early Mormon history. The Pattern of the Double Bind in Mormonism by Marion Stricker; the psychological bondage of Mormonism and how to recognize and escape it. Mormonism Pro and Con by Ed Bliss (individual chapters are online here: http://www.mormonism-proandcon.org/ For Any Latter-day Saint: One Investigator's Unanswered Questions by Sharon I. Banister, Star Bible Publications, Fort Worth, 1988. Over 600 problematical questions about Mormon history and doctrine, very clearly presented, with many photographic reproductions of the relevant Mormon books and diaries. (See my review here.) (As of May 2007 this book is out of print; click here for availability of used copies) REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC TOPICS THE "FIRST VISION" http://www.irr.org/mit/fvision.html The official version, and why it is a fiction http://www.i4m.com/think/intro/must_believe_vision.htm The church insists that belief in the validity of the "First Vision" is the basis of Mormonism http://www.irr.org/mit/First-Vision-Accounts.html All of the early (and contradictory) accounts, from Mormon sources http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#First Vision http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/first-vision.html http://www.bcmmin.org/firstv.html and http://www.bcmmin.org/firstv2.html http://www.irr.org/mit/inventbk.html (a review of the book Inventing Mormonism) THE 1820 REVIVAL The question of whether there was a revival in 1820 matching Smith's story has been hotly debated by Mormon and non-Mormon scholars. See the exchange between Richard L. Bushman (Mormon) and Wesley P. Walters (non-Mormon) in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, (Spring 1969) 4:1:58ff. A summary of the opposing points of view (by a Mormon scholar) is Marvin Hill, "The First Vision: A Critique and Reconciliation," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, (Summer 1982) 15:31-46. http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims1.htm http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/index.htm (Michael Marquardt's site) The following three links are about Marquardt's book Inventing Mormonism, a scholarly investigation into Mormonism's early years: http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/contents.htm http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/summary.htm http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/reviews.htm JOSEPH SMITH AND THE METHODISTS For Smith's connection with the Methodists, see Inventing Mormonism, pp 54-55, citing Turner, History of Phelp's and Gorham's Purchase, p. 214, which relates that Smith was an informal "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings before 1822; Pomeroy Tucker, The Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism (NY 1867), p 18: Smith joined the "probationary class" of the Methodist church; there was no Methodist church in Palmyra until July 1821 (Inventing Mormonism, p 60 n 41); http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Methodist Church JOSEPH SMITH AND "MONEYDIGGING" http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/ny_js.htm The report of Smith's 1826 arrest and court appearance for being a "glass-looker" http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/necromantic.html http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Money-Digging and Magic BOOK OF MORMON "WITNESSES" http://www.irr.org/mit/bomwit1.html http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/testimonyof3.htm http://www.exmormon.org/file9.htm http://www.irr.org/mit/address1.html The book by David Whitmer, An Address To All Believers in Christ, testifying that God revealed to him that Joseph Smith is a fallen prophet. (Also at http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/address1.htm http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/docum4.htm (Martin Harris interview in Tiffany's magazine) http://www.carm.org/lds/unveiled2.htm Affidavits of Lucy Harris and Abigail Harris about Martin Harris http://utlm.org/onlineresources/anthon.htm (Martin Harris' visit to Professor Anthon with a copy of characters from the gold plates) http://www.mormonthink.com/witnessesweb.htm More on the witnesses, including pro-Mormon arguments METHOD OF TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON http://www.irr.org/mit/address1.html (David Whitmer's Address To All Believers in Christ; see p. 12, 30) http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Black hole The significance of the 116 pages of lost manuscript for testing the authenticity of the book http://www.mormonthink.com/lost116web.htm More on the 116 lost pages Martin Harris, Millennial Star 6 Feb 1882, cited in Robert N. Hullinger, Joseph Smith's response to Skepticism, p 9-14, Salt Lake City 1992, said that the plates were not needed, also quoted by John Clark, Gleanings By the Way, 1842, p 228, cited in Hullinger p 11, n 23. http://www.mormonthink.com/transbomweb.htm More on the method of translation, with specific responses to Mormon arguments For an official Mormon admission about Smith's use of the "seer stone" in his hat, see "Speaking Today: A Treasured Testament," by Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, July 1993 Volume 23 Number 7 page 61 BOOK OF MORMON ARCHAEOLOGY http://www.irr.org/mit/bomarch1.html http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bomproblems.htm http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Archeology http://www.bcmmin.org/bomarch.html http://www.lds-mormon.com/bomquest.shtml http://www.mormonthink.com/bomweb3.htm Good summary of problems, with specific responses to Mormon arguments http://www.mindspring.com/~dwright/BOM/survey.htm "Book of Mormon Lands Survey" - Daniel Wright's survey of professional (non-Mormon) archaeologists and their views of Mormon claims. http://mormonscripturestudies.com/bomor/twm/lamgen.asp Recent study by DNA expert Tom Murphy, for which he was threatened with excommunication from the Mormon church, showing that the American Indians are not Semitic Losing a Lost Tribe by Simon Southerton, former Mormon bishop and professional DNA expert; excellent book explaining the science and how it disproves the Book of Mormon "Answers to Apologetic Claims about DNA and the Book of Mormon" by Simon Southerton http://www.lhvm.org/dna.htm More on DNA studies, including a video about DNA's relationship to the Book of Mormon's claims Who Are The Lamanites?, a four-part article by Kevin Mathie examining the pro and con arguments http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/zindler1.htm "How Do You Lose a Steel Mill" by Frank R. Zindler http://www.mormonthink.com/bomweb3.htm Summary of problems with the Book of Mormon, including Mormon responses JEWISH LAW AND THE BOOK OF MORMON Salt Lake City Messenger, Issue #74, February 1990, available from Utah Lighthouse Ministry http://lds-mormon.com/feast.shtml "Feasts in the Book of Mormon" BOOK OF MORMON CHANGES; OTHER CHANGES http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bomchanges.htm http://www.bcmmin.org/bmchg.html http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Changes Changes made in revelations after their first publication, to reflect Smith's changes in doctrine. The original texts of the Book of Mormon 1830 edition and the 1833 Book of Commandments (predecessor to the Doctrine and Covenants can be found at http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/ PRESENT MORMON DOCTRINE CONTRARY TO BOOK OF MORMON http://packham.n4m.org/bomvslds.htm A concise listing, with references http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/test.html http://www.bcmmin.org/bmchg.html http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/birth.html On the Virgin Birth, how Jesus was conceived. http://www.irr.org/mit/CHANGOD.html The changing concept of God. http://www.bcmmin.org/bcm2.html Changing doctrines of Mormonism. THE 1825 BOOK View of the Hebrews by Ethan Smith http://www.irr.org/mit/Books/View-Hebrews/viewhe1a.html (text of View) http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/voh/voh.shtml (text of View) http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/bom/written.shtml Could Joseph Smith have written the Book of Mormon? http://www.lds-mormon.com/voh.shtml Parallels between View and the Book of Mormon. http://www.irr.org/mit/bhrobert.html B. H. Roberts' conclusions. FAILURES OF GOD-INSPIRED PROJECTS Failure of the Kirtland Bank: http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Kirtland Bank Gathering of Zion: http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm Polygamy - see notes at: #POLYGAMY Deseret Alphabet: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/deseret.htm http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#PROPHECIES THE HOFMANN MURDER SCANDAL The Mormon Murders: A True Story of Greed, Forgery, Deceit, and Death by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, New York, 1988. The role of the Mormon church leadership in this scandal is carefully documented here. A Gathering of Saints: A True Story of Money, Murder and Deceit by Robert Lindsey, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1988. Another book on the Hofmann scandal. Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders by Linda Sillitoe and Allen Roberts, 2nd edition, Signature Books, Salt Lake City. http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Hofmann, Mark "Masterminds: The Anthon Forgeries" Excellent video on the Hofmann forgeries. THE MORMON TEMPLE CEREMONY (THE "ENDOWMENT") http://packham.n4m.org/temples.htm: "Mormon Temples and Temple Rituals" - a detailed overview of this most secret part of Mormonism. The next five links contain the actual text of the ceremony in the various forms it has had since the early days of the church. 1931 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow31.htm 1984 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow84.htm 1990 Version: http://packham.n4m.org/endow90.htm 2005 changes: http://packham.n4m.org/endow05.htm (See also http://i4m.com/think/temples/temple_ordinance.htm for a discussion of the significance of the 2005 changes) http://www.lds-mormon.com/veilworker/endowment.shtml http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Temple Ceremony http://i4m.com/think/temples/ Several articles on temples http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/garments.html A description of the sacred undergarment which Mormons are required to wear after receiving the endowment. http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/undrwrmo.htm More on "garments" http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/temple-ceremony.html http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/mormcr1.htm http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/templechanges.htm http://www.lds-mormon.com/veilworker/recommend.shtml The questions that are asked in the "worthiness interview" to determine whether a member is worthy to receive admission to the temple. MASONIC INFLUENCE ON MORMONISM http://www.masonicmoroni.com Paul Graham's comprehensive site, with many links from all points of view http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masendow.htm http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/masonry.htm http://www.irr.org/mit/masonry.html http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech4.htm#Joseph Smith's Magic Talisman Joseph Smith's magical talisman http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/nohelp.html http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/masonic-influence.html THE "ADAM = GOD" DOCTRINE http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/theory.html http://www.bcmmin.org/adamgod.html http://www.bcmmin.org/evolut4.html The changes in the Mormon doctrine about God. http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/adam-god.html (Text of Brigham Young's 1852 sermon) http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#ADAMGOD More statements by Brigham Young A good discussion, with photocopy of Bruce R. McConkie's private admission that Brigham Young did teach the doctrine, is in Tanner, LDS Apostle Confesses Brigham Young Taught Adam-God Doctrine, available from Utah Lighthouse Ministry. Similar material is in Banister's book For Any Latter- Day Saint http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/mcconkies-letter.html The text of McConkie's letter admitting that Brigham Young did teach that Adam was God See also: Adam is God??? by Chris A. Vlachos, pamphlet available from Utah Lighthouse Ministry POLYGAMY ("CELESTIAL MARRIAGE") http://www.irr.org/mit/enigma.html A review of Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, by Linda King Newell and Valene Tippett Avery, University of Illinois Press, 1994; a biography of Joseph Smith's first wife, relating the development of Smith's ideas on polygamy and her opposition to it. In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith by Todd Compton, Signature Books http://www.wivesofjosephsmith.org/home Biographies of all of Joseph Smith's wives http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Polygamy http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/polyg.htm http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/denpract.htm Smith's public (and untruthful) denials of the rumors about his practice of polygamy. http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/menwives.htm Documentation of Smith's seduction of other men's wives. http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/clndest2.htm An early and generally unknown revelation about polygamy Mormon Polygamy: A History by Richard S. Van Wagoner, Signature Books, Salt Lake City. An excellent history of its theory and practice, reviewed at http://www.lds-mormon.com/polygamy.shtml. The Works of Abraham: Mormon Polygamy Sources on Its Origin, Thought, and Practice by B. Carmon Hardy, 2007 http://www.i4m.com/think/history/joseph_smith_sex.htm "Did Joseph Smith have sex with his [polygamous] wives?" http://www.signaturebookslibrary.org/essays/mormonpolygamy.htm Comprehensive essay on polygamy http://www.polygamy.org Home page of Tapestry of Polygamy, a group of formerly polygamous women who are exposing its evils as practiced by some Mormon groups today. http://mormonthink.com/polyweb.htm - responses to Mormon arguments and claims http://www.i4m.com/think/polygamy/utah_census.htm "U. S. Census numbers and Mormon Polygamy" Refutation of the claim that polygamy was practiced because of a shortage of men in early Utah http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/video/lifting-veil-polygamy Video documentary on Mormon polygamy THE "CURSE OF CAIN": THE CHANGING DOCTRINE ON SKIN COLOR http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/africanamerican.htm http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Blacks http://www.exmormon.org/blacks1.htm http://www.lds-mormon.com/racism.shtml http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#NEGRO Brigham Young's Doctrines on the Black race http://www.mormonthink.com/blackweb.htm Summary of pro and con views http://www.religioustolerance.org/lds_race.htm History of racism in Mormonism from the "Religious Tolerance" organization http://jhuston.com/Documents/1978.htm Background information on the 1978 "revelation" THE DOCTRINE OF "BLOOD ATONEMENT" AND THE DANITES ("AVENGING ANGELS") http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/bloodatonement.htm http://utlm.org/topicalindexa.htm#Blood Atonement http://www.exmormon.org/bloodatn.htm http://www.exmormon.org/violence.htm http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/murder.html http://www.irr.org/mit/faulring.html http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/blood-atonement.html Mormons often deny that the doctrine was taught, but they still believe it. "Blood Atonement" a short video on the origin and present practice The role of violence in Mormonism is the subject of Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer, Doubleday, 2003; this book was on the best-seller lists for a number of weeks. The authoritative work on the Mountain Meadows Massacre has been Juanita Brooks, The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1991. Brooks is now supplemented by new evidence in Will Bagley, The Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 2002. See also Sally Denton's book American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, Knopf 2003. J. F. Gibbs's complete book Mountain Meadows Massacre is online at http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/meadowscontents.htm Film treatments of the Mountain Meadows Massacre: "Burying the Past" (documentary): http://www.buryingthepast.com "September Dawn" (fictionalized, but based on fact): http://www.septemberdawn.net THE BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS http://www.2think.org/hundredsheep/boc/boc_main.shtml The complete text of the Book of Commandments, showing the revisions made to them in the Doctrine and Covenants RESTORATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD "Priesthood Restored or Retrofit?" by Lane Thuet THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM http://www.irr.org/mit/boapage.html The complete book By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus by Charles M. Larson http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/abraham.html http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/index.htm http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Book of Abraham http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/abraham.htm http://www.xmission.com/~research/about/alphabet.htm The text of Smith's so-called Egyptian Alphabet & Grammar http://www.bookofabraham.com Comprehensive site, with message board, about the Book of Abraham An hour-long video about the Book of Abraham: "The Lost Book of Abraham" at http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/video/lost-book-abraham THE "INSPIRED REVISION" OF THE BIBLE The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (RLDS, now renamed "Community of Christ") has long used the version by Smith. http://utlm.org/topicalindexc.htm#Inspired Revision of the Bible THE KINDERHOOK PLATES http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/indekind.htm http://utlm.org/topicalindexb.htm#Kinderhook Plates http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/kindrhk/kindrhk.htm http://www.mormonthink.com/kinderhookweb.htm Good summary of both pro and con views JOSEPH SMITH'S PROPHECIES http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm A listing of many of Smith's unfulfilled prophecies http://www.saintsalive.com/mormonism/falseprophetjs.htm http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/civilwar.html Joseph Smith's famous prophecy of the Civil War http://www.lds-mormon.com/civilwar.shtml Another article on the Civil War prophecy http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech13.htm#Rocky Mountain Prophecy Joseph Smith's prophecy about the Mormon move to the Rocky Mountains http://www.mormonthink.com/prophetsweb.htm Lack of prophecy in the modern church For some of Brigham Young's failed prophecies, see: http://packham.n4m.org/byoung.htm#PROPHECIES JOSEPH SMITH'S DEATH http://www.solomonspalding.com/docs/exposit1.htm The text of the Nauvoo Expositor, the opposition paper which Smith destroyed, thus leading to his imprisonment and death. It contains all the true accusations which Smith wanted suppressed http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech17.htm#Destruction of Expositor The destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor For a detailed discussion of Smith's political ambitions, his title "king" and his secret government, see the book by D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: [Volume 1] The Origins of Power, Signature Books, Salt Lake City, 1994. (Quinn was excommunicated from the Mormon church for his historical researches, but remains a believer) MORMON FALSIFICATION OF MORMON HISTORY http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/mormhist.htm D. Michael Quinn's Talk "On Being A Mormon Historian" in which he urges the church authorities to be more open in telling the entire history of the church, without coloring it. Rather than follow his advice, the church excommunicated him. http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/legacy1.htm An evaluation of the propaganda film Legacy, produced by the church. http://www.bcmmin.org/persecutor.html An evaluation of the church's claim that it was persecuted. http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/dunn.htm The uncovering of the lies told by a high-ranking Mormon official http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/mantle.htm A speech by Boyd K. Packer, a high-ranking church official, on how the church justifies its distortion of its history. Also discussed at http://www.exmormon.org/disease.htm http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/purge.htm The recent purge of Mormon historians who told too much http://www.exmormon.org/lying.htm A discussion of speech by Dallin Oaks, a high-ranking church official, on the need for withholding the whole truth. http://www.exmormon.org/apology.htm http://www.lds-mormon.com/lying.shtml http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm The present "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley lies about church doctrine in two interviews for the news media. http://packham.n4m.org/lying.htm More examples of Mormon lying. A good example of the church's distortion of history is its long cover-up of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. See Juanita Brooks, The Mountain Meadows Massacre, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1991. PRAYING FOR TRUTH "Testimony and Spiritual Witness" - discussion about the reliability of spiritual witness http://packham.n4m.org/prayer.htm - prayer is not for obtaining information http://packham.n4m.org/satan.htm - how Satan can deceive UNUSUAL DOCTRINES - God was once a man like us: http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm - God has a tangible body of flesh and bone: D&C 130:22 - God lives on a planet near the star Kolob: Book of Abraham 3:3-16 - God has at least one wife, our "Mother in Heaven": Joseph Fielding Smith, Man, His Origin and Destiny, p 348-355: "All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother..." (More citations in The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7) - Jesus was married: This idea is consistent with the Mormon doctrine that marriage is required for godhood; see citations from early church leaders at Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 9. The church denies that this is a doctrine of the church here. - We can become like God and rule over our own universe. http://packham.n4m.org/gbh-god.htm - There are many gods, ruling over their own worlds: Citations in "http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changech7.htm#From%20One%20to%20Many">The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7 - Jesus and Satan ("Lucifer") are brothers: D&C 76:25, Moses 4:1-4 - Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father by having sex with Mary: Citations in The Changing World of Mormonism, Chapter 7 - We should not try to feel a personal relationship with Jesus: "Our Relationship With The Lord" by Apostle Bruce R. McConkie - "The Lord" ("Jehovah") in the Old Testament is the same being named Jesus in the New Testament, but not the same as "God the Father": D&C 110:2-4; Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, article "Jehovah"; 1 Nephi 19:10 - In the the highest degree of the celestial kingdom some men will have more than one wife: D&C 132:63 - "Pre-existence": See Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, ch 4, esp pp 60-61 - Dark skin is a curse from God: 1 Nephi 12:23, 2 Nephi 5:21, Alma 3:6, Jacob 3:8, 3 Nephi 2:15, Morm 5:15. - The Garden of Eden was in Missouri: D&C 116:1; see also D&C 107:53. - Animal resurrection: http://packham.n4m.org/animals.htm - Rainbow: http://packham.n4m.org/prophet.htm - Satan rules water: D&C 61 - Sun's light is from Kolob: Book of Abraham Facsimile # 2, Explanation of Fig 5 - Gentile blood is replaced: History of the Church 3:380, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 150 - Seeing face of God: D&C 97:16; see also 93:1 and 88:68 - False angel hair color: Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 214; handshake: D&C 129:1-9 PROHIBITION ON COFFEE, ETC. (THE "WORD OF WISDOM") The text of the Word of Wisdom is in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 89 http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/w_wisdom.htm Problems and inconsistencies with this revelation. http://utlm.org/onlinebooks/mclaims8.htm#The Word of Wisdom TITHING, CHURCH WEALTH http://www.mrm.org/multimedia/text/tithing.html http://www.mormonismi.info/jamesdavid/tithing.htm On the wealth of the church, see: Anson Shupe, Wealth and Power in American Zion, Lewiston NY 1992, or John Heinerman and Anson Shupe, The Mormon Corporate Empire, Beacon, 1988. OBEDIENCE: "FOLLOW THE BRETHREN" http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/cannon.htm Excerpts from Under The Prophet In Utah by Senator Frank J. Cannon, showing how the church leaders exert power over members. http://www.i4m.com/think/leaders/mormon_loyalty.htm Many statements by church leaders emphasizing loyalty to the church http://www.zionsbest.com/fourteen.html A speech by Ezra Taft Benson, a recent prophet and president, instructing members to obey the prophet without questioning and without checking his advice against scripture. http://www.lds-mormon.com/mothink.shtml http://www.lds-mormon.com/thinking.shtml A critical article on the church's mind control. http://www.xmission.com/~country/reason/purge.htm The recent mass excommunications of intellectuals and historians who questioned church authority. http://www.zionsbest.com/heresies.html Bruce R. McConkie on the heresy of evolution. HOMOSEXUALS, MASTURBATION http://www.affirmation.org The website of Affirmation, an organization for Mormons with homosexual leanings. Much information about the church's stance on sex. http://www.affirmation.org/learning/steps_in_overcoming_masturbation.shtml A talk by Mormon apostle Mark E. Petersen, on how to prevent masturbation. http://www.affirmation.org/learning/we_see_what_we_believe.asp A critical article by Jeffery R. Jensen, M.D., on the harm done by the church with its stance on homosexuality. http://www.affirmation.org/learning/homosexuality_a_psychiatrists_response.asp Another article by Dr. Jensen, criticizing the church's department of social services http://www.zionsbest.com/only.html A speech by Boyd K. Packer on the evils of masturbation in young men, and how to prevent it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilZt88Kt50k Video interviews with young Mormon homosexuals about their treatment http://www.affirmation.org/learning/in_gods_name.shtml "In God's Name" by Terry Hiscox - a survey of Christian and Mormon treatment of homosexuals POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH Books by two exmormon women describing their difficulties with the church's treatment of women: Deborah Laake, Secret Ceremonies, Dell, 1993 Sonia Johnson, From Housewife to Heretic, Doubleday, 1981. Johnson was excommunicated for her activism in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment. http://www.exmormon.org/mormwomn.htm A woman's viewpoint. http://www.lds-mormon.com/lying.shtml How the church misrepresents its stance on the role of women. "Mormon Women, Prozac, and Therapy" by Kent Ponder Ph.D. explores the causes for so many Mormon women being on anti-depressant medications. http://members.shaw.ca/blair_watson/ "The Psychological Effects of Mormonism" by Blair Watson PERSONAL STORIES BY FORMER MORMONS http://www.exmormon.org/ has the personal stories of over six hundred people who left the church and their many different reasons for doing so. For briefer comments from former Mormons, see http://packham.n4m.org/voices1.htm See also these longer accounts: Mary Ann Benson (granddaughter-in-law of Ezra Taft Benson, president of the church): http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon146.htm Steve Benson (grandson of Benson, Mary Ann's husband): http://www.lds-mormon.com/benson2.shtml and also http://www.exmormon.org/mormon/mormon418.htm http://twincentral.com/site/pages/articles/doctrines/alt/LDS/stevebenson.htm Transcript of the Bensons' interview with two Mormon apostles Ken Clark (former teacher in the Church Educational System): http://www.exmormon.org/whylft149.htm For longer (booklength) accounts, see: Suddenly Strangers: Surrendering Gods and Heroes by the Morin brothers.(http://suddenlystrangers.com - click on "Excerpts") Beyond Mormonism: An Elder's Story by James R. Spencer, who converted to Mormonism and left it to become a Christian minister Martha Beck (daughter of Mormon apologist Hugh Nibley), Leaving the Saints, Crown, 2005, ISBN 0609609912 IS MORMONISM A CULT? The following links are to checklists and other guidelines, to help you to evaluate whether any group (not just Mormonism) is a "cult." http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/cult101.htm http://www.freedomofmind.com/ The home page of Steve Hassan, an authority on cults and brainwashing. "[Hassan's] BITE Model Applied Toward Mormonism" http://www.caic.org.au Jan Groenveld's Cult Awareness Centre http://www.factnet.org FACTnet, resources on psychological coercion and mind control http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html Isaac Bonewits' cult checklist, with 18 items and worksheet. A 12-minute video on cults in general: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnNSe5XYp6E http://members.shaw.ca/blair_watson/ "The Psychological Effects of Mormonism" by Blair Watson Comments or questions? (Please, no testimonies, preaching or hate mail) Click here. Please let me know if you find that any links are out-dated, or if you can suggest additional links. Thanks! http://www.exmormon.org/tract2.htm