Absolutely not. I am LDS [baptized nearly 10 years ago]. Prior to that, I investigated various Protestant denominations [and took a quick look at the Catholic church, but decided it wasn't for me]. In all Christian denominations I have any experience with, the believer is encouraged to take his/her questions to God for guidance, unless the question is about the truth of the Book of Mormon. Strangely enough, that's one question the denominations I checked out don't want people asking God about [supposedly in their view, Satan is powerful enough to override God and lie to the person asking this particular question]. In my experience, a Protestant minister/teacher will be horrified by the notion of consulting God for information about the Book of Mormon, etc., and will promptly launch into scare tactics to discourage such consultation. As for non-Christian denominations, I'm not qualified to answer that. Jews, Moslems, etc., are going to have to speak for themselves on this one. :-)

I pray to God in repentance as well as to praise Him. I talk to God everyday. God has also provided His Word, the Bible. This is God's Word! The Bible teaches us what He wants us to know... (are you getting it yet?) If the Book of Mormon is in direct contradiction with the Bible (Gos's Word to us), why do I need to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true or not? *************************** [edited with appropriate links to mormon "scriptures" and the Bible] see below. [respones to all] My answer was in response to Seanette who did bring up the subject of praying to God asking him if the BoM is true or not. [response to Bob Blaylock] IF 2 + 2 = 4 and the someone comes along and says 2 + 2 = 5. He then tells me to pray to God and ask him to reveal to me if this is true or not. 10 times out of 10 I am not going to pray to God. [Seanette] I am a Christain attending the Lutheran Church. I have never heard of Satan being powerful enough to override God. This is silly. I do pray to God every day for answers, for repentance and to give Him praise. The reason that I do not pray to God about the Book of Mormon is that I have no need to ask God if it is true or not. In my opinion, I have already read things in the Book of Mormon that contradict the Bible (God's Word)... hence I already know the Book of Mormon is not true. For example: BoM states that Man is saved by Grace only after all that we can do.(2 Ne. 25: 23) Bible states that Man is saved by Grace through Faith. Nothing we can do to save ourselves. (Ephesians 2:8) Also, the Book of Mormon contradicts current Mormon beliefs. It states that God is Spirit. Current Mormon Beliefs state that God was once a man like us and he has a mortal body. (D&C 93: 23) The Book of Mormon also states that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit together are one eternal God. (Alma 11:44) (Mosiah 15:1-5) Current Mormon beliefs state that Christ, God and the Holy Spirit are all separate Gods. (There are many posts on this site that would confirm this.) I imagine there are others... In addition to all this there is not once single bit of Historical or archeological evidence supporting the Book of Mormon.

No, far from it. However, it is the largest Christian church whose scriptures encourage earnest prayer, with honest intent to find out if what they teach is true. I think this is the actual issue being asked about. Most of the other several thousand Christian churches hold the doctrine that of course they are right, so don't ask God about it.

I am a Christian and have never heard of any religion not asking God for answers, but I don't know much about non-christian religions. Also, I did pray about the Book of Mormon because I do believe God guides us and gives us answers. I also believe that Satan can deceive us and we have free will to decide what we will believe. I found many truths in the Book of Mormon, but the more I studied, the more I found contradictions and it just led ot confusion. Also, LDS say that you feel a "burning in your bosom" when something is true? (Something like this). The Bible teaches us to examine the scriptures and test them to see if they are true, not just go by feelings which can be affected by so many things: nervousness, indigestion, anxiety, excitement, etc. I looked for the evidence and found Christianity/the Bible to pass the test. The final reading that made me turn away from Mormonism,was from Brigham Young talking about if blacks ever held the priesthood or mixed w/whites it would take the keys of the priesthood away from the church. Well, in 1978 (?) when thay were allowed priesthood, by B. YOung's own "prophesy" or statement, the LDS priesthood would be null and void , so even if it was at one point true, it wouldn't be anymore.

No, but the religions that encourage you to ask God direct and specific questions are few. Lots of religions, maybe most, encourage you to seek truth through study, and many include praying for understanding, but teaching you to ask God a question and wait for the answer is uncommon.

No, it is doctrine of Jews, most Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists, Animists, Pagans and darn near any religion. Bow for the real point. Praying is simply a religious choice. Any answers? Well there you may have reached that point of insanity to be considered delusional, perhaps schizophrenic.

Seanette makes an interesting point. Looked at the Catholic Church decided against it. Liked LDS and joined. So much like everyone. A person is either raised and remains in a religion because of upbringing or chooses a religion because it is to their liking. But it seems I never hear anyone really claim a person get that direct message from god saying, "Hey, this is the direction I want you to go." Were I to choose a religion it would be the ancient Greek Pantheon or Norse Asgard where the gods continually argue, fight and have contests using human pawns. It simply makes more sense for the way things really are. Pure chaos!

Not at all. The Bible is clear "seek and you will find..." So mainline Christians are encouraged to seek the mind of God. Many times God has answered me, mostly through the pages of His Holy Word, the Bible, for He left the Bible with us so that we could know HIs mind, but also through other means: people whose godly opinions I respect, visions and dreams etc. However, all those secondary means HAVE to match up with the BIble. If they do not, then they are not of God.

Perhaps the only religion that believes it a priviledge.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. The above is at the end of the Book of Mormon and as a mormon missionary we invited anyone who would listen to do these things. I found that most of my religious friends of others faiths could not tell me how they knew that their interpretation of the bible was correct. Most had never prayed to find out if the Bible was the word of god. I always found it strange.

Uh ... no. In fact never heard of a religion - aside from strange pseudo-prophet led cults (like Mormonism) - that DID NOT allow its members to pray for answers.

Most other faiths historically discourage it. That is what was extraordinary about Joseph Smith. He believed the Bible when it said, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." (James 1:5) He was persecuted by ministers of the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist faiths at least for doing so, and for saying that he received an answer. Some Christian faiths have gone so far as to discourage their members from even reading the Bible. How sad! That is really what constituted the Dark Ages, in my mind.

I prayed about The Book of Mormon and found it to be true. I also get the same feeling when reading the Book of Mormon as I do when I read the Bible. Finally, from an intellectual perspective, I have read every word of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and believe them to match up very well, each having knowledge that I would be sad to be without. Even if you disagree with my findings, it is hard to come to the conclusion that the Book of Mormon is not another testament of Jesus Christ, as he is named on nearly every page by one title or another. If The Book of Mormon leads men to believe and trust more completely in Christ, as it has me, how can any Christian complain?