QUIT LYING

It has often confused me why people have to lie about their belief systems. Are they ashamed? Are they embarrassed? Do they think people will consider them weird or crazy? Are they afraid of being labeled a cultist?

Recently this question has come up in the presidential primary fray. Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas has been criticized by a question he posed to a reporter in a two hour interview. Regardless of whether the quote was taken out of context, a far more important question remains. Why do people adhere to a belief system in which they cannot acknowledge or admit to the basic tenets?

The question Huckabee innocently asked was, "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan were brothers?" The furor revolves around the fact that the question was asked. Does anyone care about the answer? In the past 2 days I have not heard a single reporter or news organization ask, "Do mormons really believe this?" Well, I will go ahead and answer the question. YES, they do believe satan and Jesus were brothers!

I remember a few years back sitting on my front porch engaged in conversation with two mormon missionaries. I posed this question, "I know a little bit about mormonism and it seems that you have some very different and even strange beliefs (some are listed below). Do you actually share these beliefs with people when you go door to door?" The response was, "no, we do not share these things initially because we think people might become confused."

Well, that seems to be an understatement; there would certainly be confusion. But is the real reason embarrassment? I will present a small portion of the mormon belief system below and let you decide. Either the average mormon does not know what they believe or they are embarrassed to share it. I would say QUIT LYING and boldly profess what you believe. Quit deceiving people and tell them the truth. Let your belief system stand on its merits.

With some help from C.A.R.M. I am listing some mormon beliefs taken directly from their teaching. These are not misquoted or taken out of context. Again, let them stand on their own merit.

The Devil
1. The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, page 192.)

2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.)

3. A plan of salvation was needed for the people of earth so Jesus offered a plan to the Father and Satan offered a plan to the father but Jesus' plan was accepted. In effect the Devil wanted to be the Savior of all Mankind and to "deny men their agency and to dethrone god." (Mormon Doctrine, page 193; Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, page 8.)

God
1. God used to be a man on another planet, Mormon Doctrine, p. 321. Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, Vol 5, pp. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, p. 345, Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333.)

2. "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s..." (D&C 130:22).

3. God is in the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 3.)

4. God the Father had a Father, (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476; Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 19; Milton Hunter, First Council of the Seventy, Gospel through the Ages, p. 104-105.)

5. God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, pages 34-35; Mormon Doctrine, p. 428.)

6. God had sexual relations with Mary to make the body of Jesus, (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, p. 218, 1857; vol. 8, p. 115.) - This one is disputed among many Mormons and not always 'officially' taught and believed. Nevertheless, Young, the 2nd prophet of the Mormon church taught it.

Becoming a God
1. After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-347, 354.)

2. "Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them," (DC 132:20).

Jesus
1. The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus, (Mormon Doctrine, page 129.)

2. Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163; Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15.)

3. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 247, 1856.)

Joseph Smith
1. If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation. There is no salvation [the context is the full gospel including exaltation to Godhood] outside the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 670.)

Book of Mormon
1. The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, 4:461.)

Salvation
1. "One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation." (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206.)

2. Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 3, p. 247, 1856.)

3. There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 188.)

be informed... don't lie... -craig