The Basics of Mormonism
There has been a lot of talk recently both in the Christian community and in the media about Mormonism and what it teaches and whether or not it is a cult. The purpose of this article is to lay out in simple form the basic tenants of the Mormon faith. In later articles I will discuss in further detail specific teachings of Mormonism. The statements in this article that I am writing are not inaccurate, over sensationalized comments or opinions about Mormonism but are the truth of what is actually taught by Mormonism. The statements that I am making come from actual documented teachings of the Mormon Church. Please when reading this article remember that the Mormon Church uses many Christian terms but radically alters their meanings. This altering of Christian terms is what makes Mormonism and its teachings very confusing for those who do not know or understand what true Mormonism teaches.
Before I proceed any further with this article, I would like to take the time and state our position here at Empowered by Christ on the Mormon faith. We believe that Mormonism non-Christian and they are a cult. We believe that their teachings go against and do not promote biblical Christianity. If you are a Mormon and you are reading this please understand that our intent is not to belittle you are to point fingers at you but too sincerely point out the falsehood of your religion and belief system against what the word of God teaches. Please understand we do not hate you but we do feel that you are in error in the light of what Scripture teaches. We believe that without repentance and believing in and putting your faith in Jesus Christ of the Bible not the God of Mormonism you will upon your death face the God of this universe and be sentenced to eternity in hell for denying Him and His son.
The basic tenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or more commonly known as the Mormons, teach that God the father use to be a man on another planet. They teach that then he became a god by following the laws and ordinances set forth by the god of his planet. Mormonism also teaches that when he became a god that he took his goddess wife to this planet and they made spirit babies that existed in heaven. The spirit babies that his goddess wife produced include you and me as well as Jesus and the devil. These existing spirit babies live in heaven awaiting their turn to come down to earth and inhabit babies at birth here on earth. If you are a faithful Mormon and follow all the ordinances and laws of Mormonism like faithfully tithing, going to the temple faithfully and wearing your spiritual underwear. You to may have the same potential of becoming a god and starting your own world and making spirit babies with your wife. Basically in a nutshell if you are a Mormon you believe in alien life forms and that your god is an alien.
As you can see from the basic teachings of the Mormon Church they are not within Orthodox Christianity and cannot be considered a Christian group. This is just not my opinion but we can see that they are not a Christian group by their propagation of aberrant and unchristian theology. The fact of the matter is we are warned in Matthew 24: 24 by Jesus that in the last days many false christs and prophets will arise. The false teachings of Mormonism and its false prophet Joseph Smith is exactly what the Bible and Jesus talks about and warns us would be occurring in the last days.
The Bible very clearly teaches that mankind descended from Adam and Eve and was created by our Heavenly Father. We were not created by a god that came from a different planet and had a wife whom he had spirit babies with. The Bible is also very clear that we cannot become gods of our own world by following laws and ordinances set forth by a church. The Bible teaches that the only way one can be saved is by their belief in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior. Of course the Mormons justify their teachings and writings by pulling a classic genetic fallacy and simply stating that the Christian Bible is incomplete and untrustworthy. They will state that the true faith and Bible was lost and that Joseph Smith brought the true completion of the Bible through the book of Mormon and the rising of the one true church; the LDS.
Of course, when confronting Mormons and the LDS church with these teachings and facts about what they teach the most common response you will get is silence and unwillingness to confront these issues. If the Mormon Church has nothing to hide and is truly “the true church" then they should be able to defend their position and beliefs without changing them or negating what they have written and taught in the past. The next time you're talking to a Mormon you should ask them if what they are teaching is true then why do they not publicly a point a representative to refute these claims if they are inaccurate and indeed not at the church truly teaches.
Before I proceed any further with this article, I would like to take the time and state our position here at Empowered by Christ on the Mormon faith. We believe that Mormonism non-Christian and they are a cult. We believe that their teachings go against and do not promote biblical Christianity. If you are a Mormon and you are reading this please understand that our intent is not to belittle you are to point fingers at you but too sincerely point out the falsehood of your religion and belief system against what the word of God teaches. Please understand we do not hate you but we do feel that you are in error in the light of what Scripture teaches. We believe that without repentance and believing in and putting your faith in Jesus Christ of the Bible not the God of Mormonism you will upon your death face the God of this universe and be sentenced to eternity in hell for denying Him and His son.
The basic tenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or more commonly known as the Mormons, teach that God the father use to be a man on another planet. They teach that then he became a god by following the laws and ordinances set forth by the god of his planet. Mormonism also teaches that when he became a god that he took his goddess wife to this planet and they made spirit babies that existed in heaven. The spirit babies that his goddess wife produced include you and me as well as Jesus and the devil. These existing spirit babies live in heaven awaiting their turn to come down to earth and inhabit babies at birth here on earth. If you are a faithful Mormon and follow all the ordinances and laws of Mormonism like faithfully tithing, going to the temple faithfully and wearing your spiritual underwear. You to may have the same potential of becoming a god and starting your own world and making spirit babies with your wife. Basically in a nutshell if you are a Mormon you believe in alien life forms and that your god is an alien.
As you can see from the basic teachings of the Mormon Church they are not within Orthodox Christianity and cannot be considered a Christian group. This is just not my opinion but we can see that they are not a Christian group by their propagation of aberrant and unchristian theology. The fact of the matter is we are warned in Matthew 24: 24 by Jesus that in the last days many false christs and prophets will arise. The false teachings of Mormonism and its false prophet Joseph Smith is exactly what the Bible and Jesus talks about and warns us would be occurring in the last days.
The Bible very clearly teaches that mankind descended from Adam and Eve and was created by our Heavenly Father. We were not created by a god that came from a different planet and had a wife whom he had spirit babies with. The Bible is also very clear that we cannot become gods of our own world by following laws and ordinances set forth by a church. The Bible teaches that the only way one can be saved is by their belief in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior. Of course the Mormons justify their teachings and writings by pulling a classic genetic fallacy and simply stating that the Christian Bible is incomplete and untrustworthy. They will state that the true faith and Bible was lost and that Joseph Smith brought the true completion of the Bible through the book of Mormon and the rising of the one true church; the LDS.
Of course, when confronting Mormons and the LDS church with these teachings and facts about what they teach the most common response you will get is silence and unwillingness to confront these issues. If the Mormon Church has nothing to hide and is truly “the true church" then they should be able to defend their position and beliefs without changing them or negating what they have written and taught in the past. The next time you're talking to a Mormon you should ask them if what they are teaching is true then why do they not publicly a point a representative to refute these claims if they are inaccurate and indeed not at the church truly teaches.
The Beliefs of the Mormons Documented
The following documentation is true and comes from what Mormon writers and teachers have written over the years. I would like to state here that the following information comes from CARM and give proper the credit to Matt Slick for the research and writings he done on this subject. [1]
Book of Mormon
Devil, the
God
God, many gods
God, mother goddess
God, Trinity
Heaven
Holy Ghost, the
Jesus
Joseph Smith
Pre-existence
Salvation
Trinity, the
In conclusion, from the above information we can see that indeed Mormonism is not a Christian religion but instead is a cult. Remember when dealing with Mormons, they are genuinely nice people but are misguided and are steeped in their false religion’s belief system. So the next time a Mormon missionary comes knocking at your door or you run into one riding their bike down the street you will now know what they believe and how to confront what they are saying with the truth of the Bible. Remember when you are confronting them with the truth about their religion show love as Jesus would but still be truthful in your approach. Remember true love and the love of Jesus is speaking the truth in all matters.
[1] CARM – Christian apologetics research ministry; Mormonism
Book of Mormon
- The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461.)
Devil, the
- The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192.)
- Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163.)
God
- God used to be a man on another planet (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321; Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons, vol. 5, p. 613-614; Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 345; Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 333).
- "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as mans..." (D&C 130:22).
- After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345-347, 354).
- "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).
God, many gods
- There are many gods (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163).
- "And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light," (Book of Abraham 4:3).
God, mother goddess
- There is a mother god (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 443).
- God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children (Mormon Doctrine, p. 516).
God, Trinity
- The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35).
Heaven
- There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348).
Holy Ghost, the
- The Holy Ghost is a male personage (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, Le Grand Richards, Salt Lake City, 1956, p. 118;Journal of Discources, vol. 5, p. 179).
Jesus
- "Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
- "The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 115).
- "Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh ..." (First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, 1916, God the Father, compiled by Gordon Allred, p. 150).
Joseph Smith
- 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).
Pre-existence
- We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth (Journal of Discourse, vol. 4, p. 218).
- The first spirit to be born in heaven was Jesus (Mormon Doctrine, p. 129).
- The Devil was born as a spirit after Jesus "in the morning of pre-existence," (Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
Salvation
- "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, by Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206).
- 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, p. 193;Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 8).
- Jesus' sacrifice was not able to cleanse us from all our sins, (murder and repeated adultery are exceptions), (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, 1856, p. 247).
- Good works are necessary for salvation (Articles of Faith, p. 92).
- There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 188).
- "The first effect [of the atonement] is to secure to all mankind alike, exemption from the penalty of the fall, thus providing a plan of General Salvation. The second effect is to open a way for Individual Salvation whereby mankind may secure remission of personal sins (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 78-79).
- "As these sins are the result of individual acts it is just that forgiveness for them should be conditioned on individual compliance with prescribed requirements -- 'obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,'" (Articles of Faith, p. 79).
- "This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts," (LDS Bible Dictionary, p. 697).
- "We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do," (2 Nephi 25:23).
Trinity, the
- The trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man," (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35).
In conclusion, from the above information we can see that indeed Mormonism is not a Christian religion but instead is a cult. Remember when dealing with Mormons, they are genuinely nice people but are misguided and are steeped in their false religion’s belief system. So the next time a Mormon missionary comes knocking at your door or you run into one riding their bike down the street you will now know what they believe and how to confront what they are saying with the truth of the Bible. Remember when you are confronting them with the truth about their religion show love as Jesus would but still be truthful in your approach. Remember true love and the love of Jesus is speaking the truth in all matters.
[1] CARM – Christian apologetics research ministry; Mormonism
