A Mormon Responds to our Radio Broadcast

A MORMON RESPONDS TO OUR RADIO BROADCAST

Hello,

I heard your commercial – https://www.4witness.org/mg-10-in-christ-alone/

This morning on a radio station and I felt compelled to ask for some more information from you, but I also have some concerns. First, could you please refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as it has requested? Leaders have repeatedly asked that you not refer to the Church as “Mormonism” or to the members as “Mormons.” I think they at least deserve that respect.

Second, the woman on the commercial this morning seemed to be making some pretty ridiculous claims. The claim that prophets can’t be valid because they stand between the individual and God seems to me to be extremely hypocritical for a group such as yours that professes belief in the Bible. Who was the Bible written by? People who were repeatedly referred to as prophets (I can give you a list of Bible scriptures that do this if you would like). You can’t say that the Bible is true without also acknowledging that God called and used prophets.

The belief that God continues to call prophets today is not that big of stretch from what the Bible teaches. In fact, it kind of makes logical sense that if God is the same yesterday, today, and forever that he would continue to use prophets. And it’s not like Church members can’t have any contact with God except by way of the current prophet, like your commercial suggested. All Church members are urged to seek and develop their own relationship with Deity.

The woman on the commercial also made some claims about Joseph Smith that I would like more information about. She said the Church “absolutely” believes and teaches that the shedding of Joseph Smith’s blood was necessary to bring about “the new covenant of the restoration.” Nowhere have I ever heard or read this teaching. Church members believe Joseph was a prophet, not some half-man, half-God that had to sacrifice himself for the benefit of mankind. Joseph Smith could have just as easily died of old age without affecting Church doctrine. I would really appreciate it if you pointed me exactly to where the Church teaches this principle.

The woman also claimed that Brigham Young said that everyone would need the approval of Joseph Smith to be granted salvation. First of all, if you’re grasping for Brigham Young quotes to try to “disprove” the Church, you should expect to not be taken seriously. Brigham Young said a lot of things about a lot of different subjects and was wrong about them. Prophets can have opinions about things too, and that doesn’t mean they are right. Secondly, this is also a teaching I have never heard or read, so I would appreciate it if you directed me exactly to where you found this.

I’m fine if you disagree with the Church, but I’d appreciate it if you stopped spreading lies and confusion. Your radio commercial was basically propaganda. There was an obvious goal to paint the Church in the most negative light possible, and anyone with a brain will know that they can’t trust you.

OUR RESPONSE:

Dear Tyler,

You are asking excellent questions. First of all, when it comes to the LDS view of apostles and prophets being necessary for today, we have written a long article explaining our position on this matter and addressing the common LDS claims about prophets today. It’s beyond the scope of our email correspondence to really get into the details necessary to really explain why we take the position we do on that issue, so I suggest you read this article here below for your first question and your 2nd question on the LDS Church’s claims about the “blood of Joseph Smith” necessary for the reestablishment of the “new covenant” I will give you the source to the OFFICIAL church website as well below the link:

Are Prophets and Apostles for the Christian Church today?

Are Prophets and Apostles for the Christian Church today?

Now you are correct that Brigham Young is not considered an authority today in the Mormon Church, but his views on Joseph Smith being necessary for entrance into heaven are still taught today by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact this article on the Church’s website (below) even quotes Brigham Young’s statement to support their claims that Joseph Smith: “Like his Master, Joseph Smith also shed his blood in order that the final testament, the reestablishment of the new covenant, might be in full effect.”   https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1994/06/joseph-smith-among-the-prophets?lang=eng

As you can see, it is the LDS Church’s CURRENT position posted on their OFFICIAL website that you need Joseph Smith’s “blood” for the new covenant to have “full effect” in your salvation.  And as far as bias, everyone has bias. You are either biased for the truth of Christ Alone or you are against it with your “need” of modern-day prophets as taught by the LDS Church.  There is no such thing as middle ground on this issue because Jesus said we are to go through Him ALONE for salvation (John 14:6; 1 Tim 2:5).  And as far as your request to honor the LDS Church’s official request to use their full name and no longer use their nickname Mormons or Mormonism, we will not follow that for 2 reasons: 1). They’ve tried that trick before to try to look “Christian” in the past and it never worked, only caused more confusion because people couldn’t tell if we were talking about true Christians or the “Mormon” version of their so-called “Christianity”.  2.) We cannot honor their request because we do not believe that the “Mormon” version of Christian is true Christianity, so it is against our conscience to refer to them as the “Church of Jesus Christ” without the “Mormon” qualification.

Our prayer is that you will come out of the counterfeit of Mormonism and place your full trust in Jesus Christ alone for your righteousness before God. If we can help you with any more of your questions, especially documentation on the radio commercials, all of it is posted here on our website:

Misguided by Mormonism but Redeemed by God’s Grace Radio Clips and Links to Documentation:

Misguided by Mormonism but Redeemed by God’s Grace

In love and concern,

Christy Darlington

Director of Witnesses for Jesus Inc.

 

 

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