I received this question from a friend. 

“Have you ever run into somebody who says ‘Religion is all man-made.  Because ancient man couldn’t figure out the universe he came up with “gods” to answer the questions.  He is still doing it today.’  This is how my boss sees any kind of faith as just something man has come up with.  Not sure how to answer that?  Do you have any suggestions? ”

Before I give an answer we must recognize the difference between an assertion and an argument.  An assertion is simply an opinion.  This statement from the friend is an unwarranted claim; it is an assertion and not an argument.  An argument has to have at least two parts; 1) a conclusion, and 2) one or more supporting statements or evidence.  The friend’s entire statement is simply a conclusion and needs support. 

So how would I respond?  I would begin by asking, “Why should I or anyone else believe that humans made up religious beliefs to explain the existence of the universe?”  Whenever I am challenged with an opinion, I like to pull out the “why” card.  I do this all the time.  I simply listen to the opinion and then ask why should I believe this?  What I have done is put the ball in the court of the challenger, where it belongs.  He made the statement and all I am asking for is support or evidence for his beliefs.  I listen to his support and then need to be prepared to challenge his evidence or ask further clarifying questions.  Many times the support turns out to be absurd and easily refuted.  Other times a well thought out answer will require me to give a more principled response.  I may ask a second question to give me time to think through my answer.  The main point is to make the questioner do the talking rather than the Christian launching into a refutation of an opinion.  We should not be answering opinions; we should be refuting arguments.  As Christians we are to train ourselves not to argue with conclusions or assertions and make the person present an argument. 

As my children grew up, they loved music and would argue who were the best bands.  I would repeatedly tell them not to argue over opinions; always ask why that particular band is the best.  Today my adult children are skilled at the art of arguing.  This same advice goes to anyone who engages in discussions concerning any topic.

Another angle I might use is to answer an opinion with a counter claim.  I do this tactic just for fun to see the reaction on the person’s face.  The person says, “Religion is man-made.”  My response is, “Atheism is man-made, created by people to avoid the obvious conclusion God created the universe and therefore, He exists.”  By doing this you have fashioned a standoff.  You ask now what?  The atheist many times sticks out his chest and tries to give a defense for atheism.  And this is what we really wanted from the challenger; an argument with support versus an opinion.  Now you can engage in a real discussion.  The Christian can present evidence for his or her beliefs and the atheist can do the same.  Both sides should defend their beliefs with arguments and not opinions.

ANALYZING MORMON DOCTRINES

Mormons call themselves Christians and yet they differ greatly from the beliefs of traditional Christianity.  Due to the differences, both belief systems cannot be right.  Over the next few weeks I would like to analyze Mormon doctrines by comparing beliefs.  We will begin our study with the most important doctrine in Christianity.

Traditional Christians believe the Trinity is Biblical

To prove the Trinity is a Biblical doctrine 3 important facts have to be established.

1. There is only one God.
2. The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are distinct persons, in that they communicate, love, & have a will.
3. The Bible teaches the Father is God, Son is God, and Holy Spirit is God (yet there is only one God – #1).

If all 3 can be shown to be scriptural then the only conclusion an honest person can make is the Bible teaches the Trinity.

1.   The Bible teaches only one God.

This is actually very easy because multiple verses teach there is only 1 God.   Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear (Shema) O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”  Isaiah 45:5a, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.”  For additional support read Isaiah chapters 43-48 and you will find the Bible clearly teaches there is only one God.

2.   The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are separate persons. 

A person is non-physical.  A person can love, have a will, communicate, and possess emotions.  The Bible clearly establishes the fact that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit demonstrate the attributes of personhood.  

3. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. 

The claim the Father is God is usually not controversial.  Many verses teach this including Galatians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead)…”

The claim the Holy Spirit is God is more difficult but can be established multiple ways.  Acts 5:1-4 “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, ² and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? ⁴ “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”  Ananias lied about the money he supposedly gave and Peter said he lied to the Holy Spirit.  Then in verse 4 Peter told him he had lied to God; equating the Holy Spirit as God.  Another way to demonstrate the Holy Spirit as God is to find all the verses showing the Holy Spirit possesses the same characteristics and power as God.

Finally, the Bible teaches Jesus is God.  Matthew believed Jesus was God when he writes about the birth of Jesus.  Matt. 1:23 “. . . and they will call him Immanuel” — which means, “God with us.”

John believed Jesus was God.  John 1:1, 14 The Apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  v14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Thomas believed Jesus was God.  In John 20:28 prior to seeing the resurrected Jesus, we see Thomas doubting the resurrection.  Then he sees Jesus, and Thomas proclaims, “My Lord and My God.”

Paul believed Jesus was God.  Apostle Paul writes in Titus 2:13, “…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,”

Jewish religious leaders believed Jesus claimed to be God.  John 10:30-33 [Jesus speaking] I and the Father are one.” ³¹ Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” ³³ “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” 

Remember to show the Trinity is Biblical, three important facts have to be established: 1) There is only one God, 2) the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 3 distinct persons, and 3) that each is God.  Only the doctrine of the Trinity can explain the relationship of these 3 facts in describing the one true God. 

A definition of the Trinity: We believe in one God subsists in 3 persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  All 3 are co-equal and co-eternal.

For a more in-depth teaching on the Trinity, listen to the two part series I have posted on this web site under the heading of “Sermons.”  I delivered these messages to an attributes of God series in the winter of 2010 at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA.

Knowing my desire to share with Latter Day Saints, my children called a 1-800 number from a TV advertisement so they could order for me the Mormon video “The Lamb of God.”  To my surprise the video came in the mail addressed to me with documentation concerning the story of Joseph Smith and how I could join the Mormon Church.   What my kids didn’t realize was by ordering these videos I began to receive a series of phone calls from the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City Utah.  I must have hung up on them 10 times telling them I am not interested before God hit me on the side of the head.  I heard God’s still loud voice shouting at me, “They’re calling you to talk about Jesus you idiot and you’re hanging up on them!  What planet are you from?”  I didn’t have to answer the question; Mars of course.

Finally, one evening after passing on 10 calls, I took the call and got into a 45 minute discussion with a Mormon from Utah.  We discussed many subjects and I challenged him as best I could.  It was great fun.  Eventually the call had to end; he needed to move forward with more phone calls.  However, he asked me if I would like 2 Mormon missionaries to come and visit.  I said yes; this time without God walloping me on the side of the head.

A few weeks later two young men came to my house, the first of four visits.  I asked them where they lived, where they went to college, and what they were intending to do in the future.  Essentially, I made friends with them.  I asked them if was okay if we discuss issues pertaining to what we believe from the Bible, since it is a book we both used; they agreed and we began our talks.

During those visits we pored over the Bible and the teachings of Joseph Smith.  Over time I slowly introduced more evidence for why they were wrong.  It is probably an urban legend but there is an illustration of placing a frog in a pan of water and turning the heat up slowly.  The frog’s body adapts to the slow rising heat and eventually is fried to death.  This was my approach to my new Mormon friends.  I would turn the heat up slowly with the hope God would take the message of salvation to their hearts.

The next few posts I will be analyzing Mormon beliefs and doctrines.  My objectives focus on understanding what we believe, understanding what Mormonism teaches, and why their beliefs are eternally dangerous.

ASSESSING THE BOOK OF MORMON

Instead of praying over the Book of Mormon, we need to look for evidence.  What do we find when we test the Book of Mormon?

Stolen Transcripts:  As Joseph Smith used stones to translate the golden plates, some detractors created a plan.  These critics stole 116 pages of the original Book of Mormon and then waited to see if Joseph Smith could reproduce from the plates the exact same words.  If the Book of Mormon was truly from God Joseph Smith should have had no problem duplicating the text.  However, he avoided this test by translating a different set of plates that he said were attached to the original plates.  So essentially he said the story in the Book of Mormon was the same as the stolen texts but the words were different.  How convenient an extra set of plates mysteriously appeared[1].  Who believes this story?   

 No Archeological evidence:  Smithsonian Institution of Natural History released a statement calling the evidence for the Book of Mormon fictional.  The Smithsonian statement lists many items not in existence from the time period of the Book of Mormon. For example, iron and horses were not present in America during the alleged dates. 

In addition there are no archeological artifacts found to support the ancient people groups of the Book of Mormon.   Interesting was the fact that during a visit to the Mormon Museum, I searched the entire facility to find any archeological artifacts and none could be found.  How could it be, the most famous Mormon museum in Salt Lake City, failed to display evidence for the people of the Book of Mormon?  While Mormon leaders have insisted that virtually millions of Jaredites, Nephites, and Lamanites lived during the Book of Mormon era, the LDS Church has no tangible evidence to support this claim.[2]    

I once shared this information with a Mormon and he said: “If we don’t find archeological evidence or if the current evidence contradicts what we believe, we just know that in the future we will find the evidence to support the Book of Mormon.  He said eventually the findings will match what we already know to be true.”  I then asked him if he could be wrong and he said no.  He said the burning in his chest was confirmation from God that he had the truth.  If a Mormon’s heart says he is right, then the lack of archeological evidence no longer matters.

Major DNA problem:  The Book of Mormon teaches the ancient inhabitants of the Americas (Native Americans) are descendants from the Israelite group called the Lamanites.  However, DNA evidence shows no connection between American Indians and Israel.  A quote from Dan Egan, a writer for the Salt Lake Tribune.

“Generations of Mormons grew up with the notion that American Indians are descended from the lost tribe from the House of Israel, offspring of a Book of Mormon figure named Lehi, who left Jerusalem and sailed to the Americas around 600 B.C.  For the faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints, Lehi’s story is neither fable nor parable.  It is truth.  Historical fact.  But mainstream science has failed to back that story.  Instead, archeologists, linguists and genetic experts outside Mormon culture say all the evidence points to Asia as the place from which American Indians originated.”[3]

This is devastating evidence against the Book of Mormon.  Many individuals have left the church based on the DNA findings. 

When we assess Joseph Smith’s failure to reproduce the stolen text, the lack of archeology evidence, and the DNA studies, we are left with no other conclusion other than the Book of Mormon is a fictional account born from the fertile imagination of Joseph Smith.  Praying over the Book of Mormon will not change the truth.  Paul says, “Test everything.  Hold to the good.” Don’t follow your feelings, follow the evidence.  The Book of Mormon is pure fiction.

[2] Bill McKeever & Eric Johnson, Mormonism 101, Baker Books, Michigan, 2000 pg. 112

[3] Dan Egan, “Gene data may shed light on idea of American Indian-Israel link” Salt Lake Tribune, 12/24/2000

The last few posts focused on Joseph Smith and why he was a deceiver, an occultist, and his “first vision” was a lie that grew over time.  Now I will take a look at the Book Mormon missionaries will tell you is comparable to the Bible.    

ASSESSING THE BOOK OF MORMON

After God supposedly commissioned Joseph Smith, he was visited by the angel Moroni and told about some golden plates.  These plates were the recorded history of the plight of the Jewish people as they came to North America and were visited by Jesus Christ.  The golden plates were then translated by Joseph Smith as he peered into a hat with the sides drawn around his head and using two stones, Urim and Thummim.  This work today is known as the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is the history of two people groups who came to the Americas.  The first group left just after the tower of Babel in Genesis 11.  They were called the Jaredites.  They became a powerful nation in America.  However, after many centuries’ of wickedness they annihilated themselves. 

Hundreds of years later, a second group of people of Hebrew decent arrived in the Americas led by Lehi.  God had told him to flee Jerusalem just prior to the Babylonian captivity (around 600 BC).  After Lehi’s death two of his sons, Nephi and Laman, took over.  Some people gave their allegiance to Nephi, others to Laman.  The Book of Mormon describes these two Hebrew people groups as the Nephites and the Lamanites.  After many battles between the two groups, by the 5^th century A.D., the Laminates finally destroyed the Nephites at the battle of the Hill Cumorah.  According to Mormon belief, the descendants of the Lamanites are the Native Americans.

Moroni, who was the son of Mormon, was the last living Nephite.  He recorded the events of this time period and buried the record of his people in the Hill Cumorah, which is located near present-day Palmyra in upstate New York.  This record was written on golden plates and was later discovered and translated into the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith[1].

Is the Book of Mormon a true account of an ancient group of Hebrews who inhabited North America and were visited by Jesus Christ?  If a Mormon was asked this question the standard answer is for you to pray over the Book of Mormon to see if it is true.  Maybe you’ve been asked to do that by a Mormon.  They believe God will give confirmation of its truthfulness by a burning in the bosom. 

Is this how we should test the accuracy and the truthfulness of the Book or Mormon?  Actually the Bible says differently.  In 1 Thess. 5:21(NIV) the Apostle Paul writes, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”  To test something is to look for verification or evidence for whether something is true or false.  Paul says when we find something is true and good, we are to hold onto it.  Essentially, the Bible says instead of praying over the Book of Mormon, we need to look for evidence.  So what is the proof the Book of Mormon is from God?  My next series of posts will deal with this question.

1.   UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDER OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH

• We do know he had many leadership qualities
• We also know he was a deceiver
• He was an occultist

Joseph Smith practiced occultism at a very young age.  He and his father used to dig for buried treasure and used a seer stones to search for the money.  Historical record gives us an account of Joseph Smith’s arrest in 1826 for hiring himself out to another person for the purpose of money-digging.  He admitted in court using a special stone for seeing hidden treasure. 

Smith practiced multiple occult activities throughout his lifetime.  Some of those included:

-       Magick: What we might call black magic of the occult and not what magicians do. 

-       Divination: This is special knowledge through the supernatural.  Bible directly speaks against this practice.  

-       Astrology: The studying the positions of the stars and how they affect humans.

-       Soothsaying: Making predicting of the future, which he continued even after the founding of the Mormon Church in 1830.[1]

Joseph Smith also was said to be carrying a Jupiter’s Talisman in his pocket.  I found people selling a Joseph Smith Jupiter Talisman online.  People carry these around for wealth and good fortune.  Some Mormons have either tried to deny Joseph Smith carried a Jupiter Talisman or his practice in the occult was trivial and didn’t detract from his being a prophet of God.  We have good historical grounds for believing he carried one and demonstrated repeatedly, he practiced occultism.  Smith being an occultist, over and against the condemnation of the Bible, demonstrates clearly Joseph Smith was not a prophet of God.

• False First Vision

The Mormon Church makes a big deal out of the first vision of Joseph Smith.  The truth is Smith’s “first vision” has undergone multiple revisions over the years.  His first vision was very simple and has been expanded and changed to what we have today.  Charts are available that demonstrate how changes were made over the years.  However, the Mormon Church today says they have the true vision of Smith in spite of the multiple contradictions in early publications.

In the official “first vision” Joseph Smith says at age 14 as he walked into the forest and the Father and the Son appeared to him.  He had been bothered for years about which church to attend, so he asked them which church was the correct one.  They said all the Christian Churches were corrupt and that none of them were true. Soon afterwards, God allegedly commissioned Joseph Smith to start a new church.  This became known as the Mormon Church or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

A good chart of the multiple “first visions” is available in the book “Becoming Gods,” by Richard Abanes pages 32 and 33.  A first vision with revisions is a false vision.  Do not be fooled when Mormons share the “first vision” of Joseph Smith.

We have seen clearly Joseph Smith was a leader, a deceiver, an occultist, and his first vision was altered and expanded over the years.  Next I’d like to begin to explore some of the weaknesses of the Book of Mormon.

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The following is an article dealing with the controversy of seminary professor Bruce Waltke announcing via a video that he supports theistic evolution.  Read the story at: http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2010/04/bruce_waltke_he.html

I enjoyed reading the blog posted on the Christianity Today (CT) web site.  This outburst of anger just shows how uniformed Christians are on this issue science and the Bible.  Tolerance of different viewpoints, in the area of science, is certainly needed.  I know why people get so inflamed; they think the truth of the Bible is under attack.  I disagree with Bruce Waltke’s position but I don’t doubt his love of the Bible and his vast Scriptural knowledge.  I own his book “Old Testament Theology” and love his thematic approach to the major events.  I ran a conference on science and the Bible a few years ago at Emmanuel Faith Community Church that caused some ripples and a few families left the church because “old earth” Hugh Ross spoke.  Ignorance on science and the Bible needs to be addressed in the church. I hope in the near future we will see more churches doing a better job of teaching their people to have a more informed viewpoint in the area of science.  We live in a scientific age and ignorance is not a spiritual discipline.

Who are the Mormons?

In my previous post I made the assertion Mormons follow a false Jesus believe a different gospel, and place their trust in a false Holy Spirit.  In later posts I will show the Biblical verses that demonstrate the truth of my statements. 

If I am right about Mormonism then their different gospel, false Jesus and their allegiance to the teachings of Joseph Smith will determine their eternal destiny.  In John 8:23-24 Jesus confronts the Jewish religious leaders; today he could be talking to Mormons.  We read in verse 23, “And He [Jesus] was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’”   Jesus told the religious leaders if you are wrong about me you will die in your sins.  All Mormons who believe in the false Jesus of Joseph Smith and the false doctrines of this deceptive church will die in their sins and be separated from God for all eternity in hell.  This is why I have a passion for my Mormon friends and why I share with them every chance I get.  This is why you should have a passion for sharing with Mormons.  

How can we show Mormonism is false?  We can learn what we believe and how to show them the truth.  How do we avoid being fooled?  We can learn what they believe and why they are wrong.  Where do we start?  Best place to begin is to look at how the Mormon Church began. 

1.   UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDER OF MORMONISM: JOSEPH SMITH

• We do know he had many leadership qualities

Joseph Smith was intelligent and loaded with charisma; he had to be in order to start a church from scratch and have it grow like wildfire.  Who in the world is going to follow a dim witted nerd who cannot speak in public?  Throughout history we see examples of people of spiritual influence who were good looking, charming, intelligent and possessed good communication skills.  Joseph Smith had all these qualities; he was a natural born leader.

• We also know he was a deceiver

Joseph Smith was married but slept with other women.  In the early 1830s Joseph Smith said God commanded him to take more wives.  He reportedly didn’t want to take more wives but God threatened to kill him if he didn’t.  He said marrying other women was a terrible burden to bear. 

When confronted publicly he denied he was a polygamist.  Eventually, he writes in the Doctrine and Covenants that God sanctioned polygamy and by this proclamation he justified his multiple marriages.  However, in public he continued to deny he was a polygamist; he even spoke out against it publicly.  However, the historical record says he had 33 wives; of which 11 were still married. Another 11 were teenagers when he married them.  Only 8 were close to his age and the rest younger.  When his first wife, Emma complained, Joseph Smith issued a revelation from God that told her to shut up or be condemned. Joseph Smith was a liar, a deceiver and practiced polygamy.

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Who are the Mormons?

In 2 Corinth. 11:4, 13-15 the Apostle Paul was warning the Corinthian Church against false teachers who were deceiving the congregation.  “For if one comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”  Paul was commending those in the Corinthian Church for rejecting a different Jesus, spirit, and gospel.  Mormons bring a false Jesus, a different gospel, and false Holy Spirit.  Let me paraphrase this passage:  “For if a Mormon comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit from the Mormons which you have not received, or a different gospel of Joseph Smith which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.”  You will learn over these next few weeks why the Mormon gospel is different, the Jesus they follow is false, and the Holy Spirit they profess is different from the Biblical one.

Next Paul talks about false teachers, verse 13… ^“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  ¹⁵ Therefore it is not surprising if his [Satan’s] servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”

The Apostle Paul was saying these false teachers were giving the impression they had the truth and were influencing people in the same fashion as Satan.  These individuals masqueraded as servants of righteousness, which means they looked good on the outside.  Paul was warning the church to watch out!  He was telling them don’t be fooled!  Don’t follow them!  Don’t be deceived!

Paul ends with a warning about judgment for the false teachers; their end after death would not be pleasant; they will be judged by their deceptive deeds.  What deeds was Paul referring to?  The spreading of a false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false spirit.  I believe this warning applies to Mormonism.  Every Mormon claims to be Christian and yet they deny every essential doctrine of Christianity.  If Christianity is defined as a person who believes and follows the doctrines of the historic church then Mormons are not Christians.  They don’t worship the same God as we do.    

Let me give you an illustration to help you understand.  I want you to guess what my oldest son Jeff looks like?  Some may say he is 6’4, has brown hair, blue eyes, and is very thin.  Actually, Jeff is around 5’8”, green eyes, blond hair, and has a medium athletic build.  According to the laws of logic he can’t be 6’4” in height and 5’8” at the same time.  He cannot have blond and brown hair at the same time.  There is only 1 correct description of Jeff.  The same goes for God.  You cannot create any old God you want; there is only one true God. 

Mormons worship a different God than Christians.  For example the Mormons say God the Father has a body of flesh and bones like we do.  Christianity teaches God is an immaterial being; that God is Spirit.  God cannot have a physical body and be immaterial at the same time.  The Bible says in John 4:24 (NIV) “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”  We must worship in truth the one true God and Him alone.  The God of the Bible does not have flesh and bones, He is a spirit being.  Mormons are worshipping a false God.

 The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians calls them and others like them, “… false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.”  He says they are deceivers and they masquerade as Christians.  Again I believe these verses apply to Mormonism.  This is not to say Mormons are bad people.  Most of the Mormons I know are great people; they are just not followers of the one true God.  They have been deceived and are deceiving others.  The Bible calls them false teachers.  As Paul warned the Corinthian Church; watch out!  Any old God won’t do!  We must worship in spirit and in truth.

Who are the Mormons?

When my wife Peggy and I were first looking for a church we considered the Mormon Church.  Why?  Because they were such nice people and many had strong families and family was important to us.  At the time I was not a Christian, yet for some reason I had reservations about Mormonism.  Somewhere in the back of my mind were the thoughts, this religious group is off in some way.  We ended up attending a religiously liberal Methodist Church in town and attended that church for many years until I became a follower of Jesus Christ; we then came to Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido.  My wife Peggy and I have attended either Emmanuel Faith or currently Mission Hills Church for the last 25 years.

When you think of a Mormon what do you think of?  Your first thoughts might be a good person or a nice family or a church that takes care of its people.  We might think of individuals in white shirts riding their bicycles all over the city.  You might even think of Salt Lake City and the Mormon Temple.  The Mormon Church has made a great effort to make their religion look attractive, to give people the impression that this is another Christian denomination that cares about the family and cares about you. 

These are all reasons why the Mormon Church is one the fastest growing religions in the world.  They send missionaries all over the world to continue to add to that number.  Are they just another Christian denomination?  Or are they a false belief system that is deceiving people with their positive outward appearance?

I have both friends and relatives that are part of the Mormon Church.  I truly love my Mormon friends and my focus in this series will be on the teachings and beliefs of Mormonism and not the individuals who are members.  Some of my attacks on the teachings will be strong and you who have close friends and relatives that are Mormon might take offense.  My purpose is to attack the doctrines of the church and not the individuals.

 The series title, “Unmasking the Deception of Mormonism,” reveals the conclusions I have reached based on my research.  My objectives are twofold: 1) To equip you to share with the Mormon at your door or anyone caught in the deception of Mormonism and 2) to help protect your family and close friends from joining the church. 

Years ago I met with the daughter of a close friend who was dating a Mormon.  She at the time professed to be a Christian and was attending the Emmanuel Faith High School Department.  I showed her all the false teachings and why she shouldn’t be dating a Mormon.  How successful was I?  Today she is a baptized Mormon.  LOVE TRUMPED THE TRUTH!  She wasn’t open to what I had to say, even though when she was at my house she seemed to agree with everything I said.   

It is our job as parents and grandparents to protect our children from error by helping them understand what we believe and what the Mormons believe.  Does equipping our children guarantee they won’t become Mormon?  No; but I believe it does decrease the chances.

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