Have you ever considered sharing your Biblical Christian faith with a Mormon friend, coworker or neighbor?

Within the past few years, the basic relationship between the Mormon and the Christian, has changed forever. For the first time in the history of the Mormon Church, authentic and realistic Mormon doctrine and history are now available to you through the Mormon Church's official website.

We speak from personal experience, and we desire to help guide you in bringing the Mormon people to an accurate knowledge of Mormon doctrine and their Church's history of deception so that they can come to know Jesus Christ in simplicity and truth as He is taught in the Bible.   Learn how to use the Mormon Church's official website and scriptures to present the differences between Mormonism and Biblical Christianity to your Mormon (LDS) loved-ones.

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I remember shortly before I believed and confessed Romans 10:9-10, proclaiming that Jesus is my only Savior and source of righteousness before God, I struggled with the reality that if I made this confession it would surely bring division and possibly hatred in my relationship with my friends, co-workers, and of course, my LDS family.  Jesus addresses this struggle in Luke 14:28-33 when He said:

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish.  Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.  So, likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

FIRST VISION ACCOUNTS - November 20, 2013

This essay declares that there are “four different accounts of the vision” recorded by Joseph Smith and his scribes and an additional “five accounts written by contemporaries who heard Joseph Smith speak about the vision.”

While this essay discusses some of the variations between these nine accounts and tries to provide justification for significant differences, we believe that these differences raise questions as to the credibility of the First Vision story.

For example: Did Joseph Smith see “two personages”[1], or did he see “the Lord of glory”[2] or a company of “angels”[3]? Did Joseph Smith learn of the apostasy of Christianity through the First Vision or was it through reading the Scriptures?  Was Joseph Smith 14, 15 or 16 years old? Did the angel Moroni or Nephi visit Joseph Smith in his bedroom?  These are some of the discrepancies between the various accounts of the First Vision that raise doubt as to the credibility of this story.  This essay admits to another fact:

“The earliest known account of the First Vision, the only account written in Joseph Smith’s own hand, is found in a short, unpublished autobiography Joseph Smith produced in the second half of 1832.”

ARE MORMONS CHRISTIAN? - November 20, 2013

This essay admits that Mormonism rejects the foundational creeds that have historically defined the “Christian” faith. As such, a Mormon claiming to be a “Christian” while rejecting the foundational beliefs that make Christians who they are, is no different than a Christian claiming to be “Mormon” while rejecting the Book of Mormon and the teachings of Joseph Smith that are foundational to Mormonism.

If we allow the Mormon Church to redefine Christianity to whatever new set of beliefs they decide to accept while rejecting the historic teachings of the Christian church, that word can be applied to nearly all religions because at least most religions of today claim some sort of “belief in Jesus,” that he was a “good teacher,” or a “prophet” of God.  Obviously, there is more to being a Christian than merely claiming belief in Jesus Christ.

RACE AND THE PRIESTHOOD - December 6, 2013.

This essay declares:

“...for much of its history—from the mid-1800s until 1978—the Church did not ordain men of black African descent to its priesthood or allow black men or women to participate in temple endowment or sealing ordinances...

“In 1852, President Brigham Young publicly announced that men of black African descent could no longer be ordained to the priesthood. ...Following the death of Brigham Young, subsequent Church presidents restricted blacks from receiving the temple endowment or being married in the temple. Over time, Church leaders and members advanced many theories to explain the priesthood and temple restrictions. None of these explanations is accepted today as the official doctrine of the Church. ...The justifications for this restriction echoed the widespread ideas about racial inferiority that had been used to argue for the legalization of black ‘servitude’ in the Territory of Utah. According to one view...blacks descended from the same lineage as the biblical Cain, who slew his brother Abel. Those who accepted this view believed that God’s ‘curse’ on Cain was the mark of a dark skin. ...

PEACE AND VIOLENCE AMONG 19TH-CENTURY LATTER-DAY SAINTS - May 13, 2014.

This essay declares that 19th century Mormon leaders taught that certain sins are unforgivable unless the sinner’s blood was shed to atone for their sin.  They admit,

“Drawing on biblical passages, particularly from the Old Testament, leaders taught that some sins were so serious that the perpetrator’s blood would have to be shed in order to receive forgiveness. Such preaching led to increased strain between the Latter-day Saints and the relatively few non-Mormons in Utah, including federally appointed officials.”

PLURAL MARRIAGE AND FAMILIES IN EARLY UTAH - December 16, 2013

This essay declares that polygamy (a man married to more than one woman) is not the “standard” that God has given for marriage. Within this Gospel Topics Essay, the LDS Church says,

“The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach that the marriage of one man to one woman is God’s standard, except at specific periods when He has declared otherwise.¹”

Footnote 1 for this paragraph reads,

“Jacob 2:27, 30. For instances of plural marriage in the Bible, see Genesis 16:3; 25:1; 29:21-30; 30:3-4, 9. See also D&C 132:34-35.”

As you can see, this footnote 1 lists the Book of Mormon reference, Jacob 2:27, 30, for God’s standard being one wife for one man. But next, after trying to justify the practice by listing biblical scriptures, it gives Joseph Smith’s revelation on polygamy in Doctrine and Covenants 132.

Note that while the LDS Church references the Book of Mormon passage of Jacob 2:27, which condemns marriage to more than one wife, they fail to mention verse 24 which is even stronger in its condemnation of polygamy found in the Bible. The whole passage reads as follows:

Jacob 2:24, 27-28: “Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord. ...Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none; For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.”

Quite often when we are presenting the problems of Mormonism to an active member of the LDS Church, we find that they are not really asking if the evidence we are presenting is true but whether or not they are willing to risk losing their family, job or spouse over this information.” Because Mormonism is a culture of its own, leaving the Mormon Church often has a significant cost attached to it that may seem to outweigh the benefits of leaving for the truth.

Joseph Smith said he translated the Book of Mormon from gold plates he found in New York. He said these plates contained the records of ancient inhabitants of America who migrated from Israel in about 600 B.C.

Yet, not a single coin, city, or battle field mentioned in the Book of Mormon has ever been identified in any archeological dig in America. Animals mentioned in the Book of Mormon such as the cow, horse, ox, ass, and goat as well as commodities such as wheat, barley, silk, steel, brass and the compass were either unknown in Book of Mormon times or did not exist in Pre-Columbian America. DNA evidence for a Jewish migration to America is also lacking.

In History of the Church, volume 5, page 372, we read about six small bell-shaped plates, unearthed in Kinderhook, Illinois with inscriptions on them. When these plates were presented to Joseph Smith in 1843, he said, “I have translated a portion of them, and find they contain the history of the person with whom they were found. He was a descendant of Ham, through the loins of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and that he received his kingdom from the Ruler of heaven and earth.”

Did Joseph Smith change the very revelations that he claimed God gave him? The Mormon Scripture called Doctrine and Covenants records revelations Joseph Smith received directly from God. Joseph Smith originally printed these revelations in 1833 in the Book of Commandments. Later, in 1835, these very same revelations were published in the Doctrine and Covenants.   While there is no indication that these revelations were redelivered to Joseph Smith by God, he took the liberty to make significant changes to these revelations, when they were reprinted, that included the deletion and addition of several words, sentences and paragraphs.

Mormons are often taught that God would never allow a prophet to lead the church astray.[1]

Yet, recent statements from the Mormon Church seem to contract this teaching when they say, “... we must be worthy and receive inspiration from the Holy Ghost in order to know when the Brethren speak by the power of the Holy Ghost...” The Church manual, Teachings of the Living Prophets, then says, “In a way, this completely shifts the responsibility from them to us to determine when they so speak” by the Holy Ghost.”[2] So, if it’s up to us, individuals, to determine if a prophet is speaking from God, then what’s the point of having a living prophet leading the Church in the first place?

How do we know if a prophet has truly been sent from God? Was Marshall Applewhite, the Heaven’s Gate cult prophet, speaking from God when he encouraged his followers to commit suicide to join the Hale–Bopp Comet in 1997? Or what about the Branch Davidian cult prophet David Koresh, whose followers perished in the Waco Texas fire in 1993?

Mormons believe that after death, all good people will end up in one of three kingdoms of glory: the Celestial Kingdom, for the most faithful Mormons, the Terrestrial, for good people who were not as worthy, and the Telestial Kingdom for people who refused the gospel.

Mormons strive hard to attain to the Celestial glory because they are taught that if they are worthy enough, they will live together with their families forever in this Kingdom.  But when one member of their family begins to question and doubt Mormonism, their hopes for their family being together forever in eternity falls apart.

Did we preexist as spirits in heaven before we were born on earth as Mormonism teaches?

When a person leaves Mormonism, they are often surprised to learn that the Mormon doctrine of premortal life is not found in the Bible and that it is not even taught in the Book of Mormon.  The only real support for the Mormon belief in a preexistence is found in the Mormon Scripture, the Book of Abraham (See chapter 3, verses 27-28.), which Joseph Smith created from an Egyptian burial manuscript.

Mormons teach that Jesus is the brother of Lucifer. They believe that the spirits of Jesus and Lucifer were first born to Heavenly Father in heaven that Mormons call the pre-existence. According to Mormon Scripture, Jesus was the first one born and Lucifer was the second one and then all the other spirits of humans and angels were born. (See “How can Jesus and Lucifer be spirit brothers when their characters and purposes are so utterly opposed?,” Ensign, June 1986.)

A distinct difference between Mormonism and Christianity is how the character and nature of God are defined. Mormons deny the Christian doctrine of the Trinity of God being three distinct persons in One Being, and they teach, instead, that the Godhead is comprised of three separate gods.

Mormonism stands or falls on the story of its founder, Joseph Smith. Did God the Father and Jesus Christ really appear to Joseph Smith telling him that all the churches and creeds of Christianity are wrong?

Many inconsistencies in the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision led us to question the historical validity of his claims.   If God did appear to Joseph Smith in 1820, why did he wait 12 years before he even wrote it down in his 1832 Diary? Did Joseph Smith learn about the apostasy through reading the Scriptures as he says in his Diary account or did God reveal it to him directly in the vision as he claimed later? And who did Joseph Smith see? Was it the Father and the Son, the Lord Jesus alone, or was it a company of angels?

Coming out of Mormonism may be the most significant, emotional and spiritual event that you will ever go through.  You may feel alone!  You may not even know anyone who has left the Church and you may think that there is absolutely no one you can talk to, but the truth is that there are thousands of Mormons who have left Mormonism after they had discovered that the Mormon Church was not what they had been taught it was.  You are not alone!  Speaking of the Good Shepherd, Jesus said at John 10:4-5, 9-10, 27-30:

“…when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.  ...I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ...My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”

Did you know that Mormons believe that the Bible that Christians read today is not accurate?  The Mormon Church's 8th Article of Faith states, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.”  So convinced was Joseph Smith that the Bible had been incorrectly “translated,” that he created his own translation of the Bible called the “Inspired Version” or “Joseph Smith Translation” where he added and revised whole sections of the Bible without any support from the ancient manuscripts.

One change Joseph Smith made to his version of the Bible is at Genesis chapter 17 where God makes a covenant with Abraham, requiring circumcision at “eight days” old. Although this covenant was performed for centuries by all Biblical prophets up through the time of Christ, Joseph Smith changed it from “eight days” to “eight years” and this change forms the basis of the Mormon practice of baptism at “eight years,” even though the context of the passage speaks of circumcision, and not baptism.

Have you ever been baptized for your dead relatives?

A Christian can't answer this question because baptism for the dead is not something that is practiced within the churches of Christianity, but in over 150 Mormon temples worldwide, faithful Mormons are being baptized vicariously for their dead relatives in the hopes of increasing their chances of salvation in the next life.  But is Baptism for the Dead a Biblical practice? What about 1 Corinthians 15:29 where the Apostle Paul says, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead...?”

Have you ever wondered why the Mormon Church, builds temples throughout the world? What exactly do the Mormons do in their temples?  Mormons believe that they must perform secret temple rituals in order to gain eternal life. These rituals include temple workers washing and anointing specific body parts of the person going through the temple, the giving of secret names, handshakes, and temple garments which Mormons are expected to wear under their clothing for the rest of their lives.

Does Mormonism restore the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods mentioned in the Bible?

Joseph Smith claimed that he was ordained to the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods through a special visitation of the biblical patriarchs who gave him these priesthoods to be passed down to the male members of the Church through ordination.

By what authority do you or your Christian pastor perform gospel ordinances, such as baptizing new believers or laying hands on someone to receive the Holy Spirit?  Mormons often challenge Christians with this question because they believe that gospel “authority” was lost when the apostles died and that it had to be “restored” through their Prophet Joseph Smith.  But what does the Bible say?

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus told His followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)

Because Jesus holds “All authority” and has promised to be “with” Christians  “always, to the very end,” how could gospel priesthood authority be lost from the earth for eighteen centuries until Joseph Smith “restored” it?

What is the Gospel or Good News? 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says that the Gospel consists of belief in Jesus Christ's death for our sins, His burial and His Resurrection. But did you know that most Mormons today think that this simple Gospel taught in the Bible is incomplete?  The Mormon Church claims that when the first-century Christian Apostles died, many “plain and most precious” truths of the gospel were lost and that Joseph Smith was called by God to “restore” what was missing in the Christian Gospel.  So what exactly makes the Mormon “restored” gospel different from the Biblical Gospel?

Have you ever wondered why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that is, the Mormon Church, has a living prophet leading their church while Bible-believing Christian churches do not?   Quoting the Bible at Amos 3:7 which says: “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets,” leaders of the Mormon Church teach that “the Lord keeps a channel of communication open to His children through” their living prophet and that by “sustaining” their church leaders, “the Lord will never” allow their church members “to be led astray.” (See October 1994, General Conference talk, Heed the Prophet’s Voice at lds.org)

Is it true that without the revelations of a modern-day prophet, God's people would be led astray?  No! The Bible says in Hebrews chapter one “God... spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” Likewise, Luke 16:16 states: “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

“Soli Deo Gloria” which is Latin for “To the Glory of God Alone” is an essential teaching of the Christian faith that Mormonism distorts. Christians live for the glory of God alone, and not for building themselves up or exalting their own kingdoms as Mormonism teaches.  The Apostle Paul said at Galatians 6:14: “...may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...”

Yet, Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, boasted that he did more than Jesus. Joseph Smith said: “I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together... Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet.” (History of the Church, May 26, 1844, Vol. 6, pp. 408-409) 

“Sola Scriptura” which is Latin for “Scripture alone” is a fundamental doctrine of the historic Christian faith that is completely rejected by the Mormon Church. “Scripture Alone” means that Christians regard the teachings of the Bible as the final authority for determining the doctrines and practices of the Christian faith. The Bible says at 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine... for instruction in righteousness.” But the Book of Mormon rejects this truth when it mocks Christians who trust in the Bible Alone, saying at 2 Nephi 29:6: “Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible.”  

“Solus Christus,” which is Latin for “In Christ Alone,” is another essential doctrine of the Christian faith that is completely rejected by the Mormon Church. “In Christ Alone” means that Christians trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and do not put faith in any other person to stand between them and God.

The Bible teaches at 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” But the Mormon Church rejects this truth when they add their prophet Joseph Smith to the redemption plan of Christ.

“Sola Fide” (Sola Fe-day), “By Faith Alone” is one of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith that cannot be found within the Mormon Church. To a Christian, “By Faith Alone” means that you are saved by your belief in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ Alone, excluding any works of your own for your salvation.

“Sola Gratia” which is Latin for “By Grace Alone,” is one of the Five Solas, or five essential doctrines, of the Historic Christian faith that is completely distorted within Mormonism.

Did Jesus teach the Mormon doctrine that men can become “Gods” of their own universe?

In the Mormon Church Gospel Topic Essay on “Becoming like God” they claim that Jesus taught that humans are in the process of becoming gods when he quoted Psalm 82:6 at John 10:34 saying, “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” 

If you’re a Mormon who considers yourself to be a Christian, we want you to seriously consider what you are teaching your children about God. Mormonism teaches that God is an exalted man like us, and that someday, all men and women on this earth will have the opportunity to become gods and goddesses of their own worlds.  But where does this non-Christian doctrine come from?

Did you know the Book of Mormon which Joseph Smith claimed is the "most correct of any book on earth" and the "keystone" of the Mormon religion does not contain any of the unique doctrines of Mormonism?

Examples of key Mormon doctrines that are NOT taught in the Book of Mormon are:

1.) The Spirit World, Preexistence, or Premortal life (the Mormon idea that mankind existed as spirits before coming to earth)—

Not in the Book of Mormon.

2.) The 3 Kingdoms of Heaven: The Telestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom and the Celestial Kingdom—

Are We in the Process of Becoming Gods?

Quite often when we speak about how Mormons aren't Christians because they believe that they can become gods, people say, "I know a doctor, a dentist, a lawyer whose a Mormon. There is no way these smart people believe this about God."

While it is true that not every Mormon knows these deeper doctrines of Mormonism, that doesn't change the fact that this is still the official teaching of the Mormon Church. Mormons are taught that not only was our God just an exalted man, but that all men and women will have the opportunity to become Gods and Goddesses of their own Worlds.

Mormons often wonder, “Why would anyone feel the need to question if Mormons are Christian?  Even the name of the Church reflects the Mormon belief in Jesus Christ.” They are proud to be called a members of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”  Yet fundamentally, the Mormon Church teaches a different Jesus Christ than the One proclaimed in the Bible. In Mormonism, Jesus Christ is called our Elder Brother and the Brother of Satan.  Believing that He is literally the Son of God, they teach that He is the product of a physical relationship between “Heavenly Father” and one of his so-called “Heavenly Mother” goddess wives.

Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?  Did you know that even the version of the Book of Mormon that is in print today, and given away by the Mormon Missionaries, is the most racist set of Scriptures of any religion in the world?

Hundreds of Mormons have never really read the Book of Mormon which is a bit strange, because the Book of Mormon claims to be the very foundation of the Mormon faith. The Book of Mormon clearly states, several times, that black skin is a curse from God.  Yet the Bible teaches in John 3:16 that God so loved the world…not just the people with white skin.

Have you ever considered sharing your Christian Faith with a Mormon friend, coworker or neighbor? For the first time in the History of the Mormon Church, authentic and realistic Mormon Doctrine and History are now available to you and the Mormon People on the Gospel Topics' section of the Mormon Church's official website.

UNDERSTANDING GRACE—What is it all about?

What is grace?  We read, discuss, and even sing about it; but do we truly comprehend and apply it in our lives?  Hebrews 12:15 states that one can come “short of the grace of God,” and the result of “coming short” leads to a “root of bitterness” in the heart.  Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we truly understand the depth of God’s grace and learn how to implement it in our lives.

Strong’s Concordance describes the Greek word for “grace” (charis) as: “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.” 1. When writing about his “thorn in the flesh”, the apostle Paul illustrated God’s grace by relating the following experience: