"According to Mormon teaching, Jesus Christ's spirit, like ours, was pre-existent. Therefore, we are all literally brothers and sisters of Jesus and of each other. Jesus, though, is set apart since he was the first-born of the spirit-children of God. Doctrine and Covenants makes it clear in 93:21-23: 'And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn. Ye were also in the beginning with the Father.'
If all of us, including Jesus, were born spiritually in heaven before were born physically, what sets Jesus apart from us besides his being the first-born spirit? Mormons teach it is the manner of Jesus' physical birth that makes him different.
Matthew 1:18-20 says that Mary was pregnant and that the Holy Spirit was the cause of that pregnancy. The remaining verses in the chapter explain that Mary was a virgin and remained a virgin until Jesus' birth. Although Mormons claim to believe this, they persistently deny that Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit. Brigham Young stated, 'Now, remember from this time forth, and forever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost.'
Strangely enough, the Book of Mormon agrees with the Bible. In Alma 7:10 we read, 'And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be over shadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.' Yet despite the clear meaning of this verse, Joseph Fielding Smith, Tenth President of the Mormon Church, said, 'they tell us the Book of Mormon states that Jesus was begotten of The Holy Ghost. I challenge that statement. The Book of Mormon teaches no such thing! Neither does the Bible.'
According to Mormon theology, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct individuals. So Jesus could not be the Son of God if the Holy Spirit was responsible for his conception. In order to make Jesus the Son of God, Mormons teach that God was responsible for the physical as well as the spiritual birth of Jesus. Brigham Young explained it this way: "The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of a natural action. He partook of flesh and blood--was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers."
An early Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt, explained how God could have sexual relations with the wife of another man and not be considered sinful:
It was the personage of the Father who begat the body of Jesus; and for this reason Jesus is called "the Only Begotten of the Father;"...But God having created all men and women, had the most perfect right to do with His own creation, according to His holy will and pleasure: He had a lawful right to overshadow the Virgin Mary in the capacity of a husband, and beget a Son, although she was espoused to another; for the law which He gave to govern men and women was not intended to govern Himself, or to prescribe rules for his won conduct.
From these statements it is difficult to understand how the Mormons can refer to Jesus as having been born of a virgin. And it is easy to see why this entire line of reasoning makes Christians shudder. This supposed Christian theology smacks of ancient pagan mythology and in no way accords with the God revealed in the Bible." ( The Mormon Papers, Are the Mormon Scriptures Reliable?, Harry L. Ropp, InterVarsity Press, 1978, pp. 17-19)
I couldn't have said it better myself!!!!!
Early "Mormon" Christmas Message
Pilgrims Were For The LDS?
"...this included the Pilgrim fathers and others who first settled America. These were great events in the unfolding of God's plans with respect to the dispensation of the fulness of times or the latter-day gospel dispensation, which fully justified the sending of the Spirit of God to move upon the minds and hearts of men in order to bring about the purposes of the Almighty. Such things have transpired through the ages to assist in achieving his purposes.
No doubt the reformers and those who gave us the Holy Bible were also inspired in preparation for the restoration of the gospel.
The knowledge of all these things, as the reader will note, does not come to us primarily through reading the Bible, but through the revelations of the Lord in these latter days. We use the Bible to show that these teachings are completely in accord therewith." (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Company, p. 128)
Selfish Mormons, now Thanksgiving will never be the same again.
Lets Cut Down Christianity & The Bible
"There is so much to be done that the Lord placed many leaders and officers in his church and divided the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods into many divisions, so that there would be a place suited to each man's capacity.
In the Aaronic Priesthood there are the following divisions: deacons, teachers, and priests. There are bishops when they are direct descendants of Aaron; otherwise they are chosen from among the high priests of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
In the Melchizedek Priesthood there are the following divisions and offices; elders, seventies, high priests, patriarchs (or evangelists), apostles, and prophets.
All of the above-named officers are mentioned in the New Testament in connection with the primitive church of Christ. However, only a few of them are now found in the existing branches of modern Christianity. It is our impression that if this complete organization were to be offered to the churches of today, they would not know what to do with it. They would not know the differences between the callings of an elder, a high priest, a deacon, a teacher, or a priest, nor the differences in their respective ministrations. Neither would they know how many of each are required to make a quorum nor how a quorum should be organized and governed. Neither would we know this if we were dependent upon the Bible only for this information. But we are not so dependent, for all of the knowledge we have received through the revelations of the Lord in connection with the restoration of the priesthood in this dispensation through the Prophet Joseph Smith (see D&C sections 13, 20, 84, 107, 121.)." (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Company, pp. 91, italics added)
Sounds like to me that the Mormon church doesn't think that the Christian churches of today are capable of organizing and governing much of anything. They say that Christian churches would not know what to do, nor would they know the difference. The Mormons need to take another look.
Christians Lie in Wait to Deceive?
"It surely appears as if the Christian world has been "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and the cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Who would say that it is not because they have done away with the officers whom God placed in his church to bring them to a unity of the faith? What more could be expected?" (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Company, pp.91-92)
Ephesians 4:14
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
The scripture is speaking of maturity in Christ, not about the Christian world's doing away of the officers in His church.
It's a twisted perspective on the Mormons part.
The Organization
"It seems proper that we should first consider the organization of the church of Jesus Christ. Not all of the details in connection with the organization of the restored church were given by Peter, James, and John, but they did restore the keys and the authority of the priesthood so essential to the establishment of the kingdom. The organization was perfected through revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith as the membership of the Church increased, making such an organization possible and necessary." (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Company, p.130)
The "Church" is the body of believers, not an organization.
The "Kingdom" is not an establishment.
The term "Organization" should in no way be associated with Jesus Christ.
Our Lord and Savior is NOT an organization.
Light Of Christ
"The gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghost, which members receive by laying on of hands, is very real and different than the spirit [light of Christ], which is given to all men, regardless of religious faith. This is known as the "Light of Christ" [conscience]. It is a light that when followed, will lead a man into the truth [Mormonism] of all things.
When that Truth [Mormonism] is received, and covenants made, then the Father, as taught in the Bible, will send the gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghost, as a representative of the Son Himself. The gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghosts' personal companionship, to an individual, is one of the greatest gifts that God can bestow on those, here upon the earth." (LDS Nana, Ask Mormon, Hubpages, brackets added, bold type added)
"The light of Christ [conscience] is a doctrine of the Latter Day Saint movement, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that most people would call conscience. This doctrine teaches that the Holy Ghost itself is a divine personage and member of the Godhead. All people are able to feel the influence [spirit, light of Christ, conscience] of the Holy Ghost from time to time. But repeatedly going against the Light of Christ [conscience] will eventually make one "beyond feeling" the influence [spirit, light of Christ, conscience] of the Holy Ghost. The baptism of water spoken by Jesus to Nicodemus was a literal baptism as practiced in the church. The baptism by fire [gift] is to receive the Gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghost, or the opportunity to always feel the Holy Ghosts' companionship, as long as one remains worthy of it." (www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Light_of_Christ, brackets added, bold type added)
Light of Christ does not appear in the Bible.
"Christ is" the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World." (D&C 93:2; John 1:9.) This enlightenment is administered to all men through the Spirit of Christ, or the Spirit of the Lord, or the Light of truth or the light of Christ [conscience] all of which expressions are synonymous. This spirit fills the immensity of space, is in all things, and is not to be confused with the Personage of Spirit as the Holy Ghost (or Spirit of the Lord.) (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp. 38-54) The light of Christ [conscience] is the Spirit of the Lord which leads men to accept the gospel [Mormonism] and join the Church [LDS] so that they may receive the gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghost... Men are born again [converted to Mormonism] by following the light of Christ [conscience] to the actual enjoyment of the gift [baptism by fire] of the Holy Ghost. (Mosiah 27:24-31; Alma 36.) It is because of the light of Christ [conscience] that all men know good from evil and enjoy the guidance of what is called conscience [light of Christ]. (Moro. 7:12-19.) It gives life to all things, is the law by which they are governed, and the power of God is manifest through it. (D&C 88:6-13.) (Mormon Doctrine, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah, Bruce R. McConkie, pp. 446-447)
"The phrase "Light of Christ" does not appear in the Bible, although the principles that apply to it are frequently mentioned therein. The precise phrase is found in Alma 28:14, Moro. 7:18, and D&C 88:7. Biblical phrases that are sometimes synonymous to the tern "Light of Christ" are "spirit of the Lord" and "light of life" (see, for example, John 1:4, John 8:18). The "spirit of the Lord," however, sometimes is used with reference to the Holy Ghost, and so must not be taken in every case as having reference to the light of Christ.
The light of Christ should not be confused with the personage of the Holy Ghost, for the light of Christ is not a personage at all. Its influence is preliminary to and preparatory to one's receiving the Holy Ghost. The light of Christ will lead the honest soul, who "hearkeneth to the voice" to find the true gospel [Mormonism] and the true church [LDS] and thereby receive the Holy Ghost (see D&C 84:46-48). (www.thefaithfuldissident.blogspot.com, bold type added, brackets added)
"Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith, Deseret Book Company, p.149)
According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Non-Mormons have: The Light of Christ ONLY, and Mormons have: The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit by GIFT. To qualify for that GIFT of the Holy Ghost, you must by baptized into the Mormon church and receive the Holy Ghost by those who are in authority via laying on of hands.
"...the Holy Ghost enlightens their minds and enables them to know the truth [Mormonism] when they have faith in Christ and seek sincerely in order that they may accept and obey the truth [Mormonism]. However, there is no promise that the Holy Ghost will remain as a comforter and companion with even such as they [non-Mormons], except upon their acceptance of the truth [Mormonism] and their obedience to its requirements. (A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, LeGrand Richards, Deseret Book Company, 1978, p.119, bold type added, brackets added)
Mormonism teaches that it is the Holy Ghost who came on the Day of Pentecost, however, it was not the true Holy Ghost. It was merely the "Light of Christ." It states in the book, "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder" that the early apostles did not understand the scriptures, being without revelation, being without the priesthood of God, and they had to depend upon their own interpretation of the scriptures for their guidance. This book also states that they [meaning the early Christians] received the Holy Ghost [Light of Christ] to convince them of the truth as preached by Peter, nevertheless, they [meaning the early Christians] had not received the Holy Ghost as a gift [baptism by fire], in other words, laying on of hands by those in authority to receive such a gift.
Ask a Mormon about the Day of Pentecost, most likely, he/she will not fully know much about it.
Mormons Throw Support Behind Gay-Rights Cause
It looked like a stunning reversal: the same church that helped defeat gay marriage in California standing with gay-rights activists on an anti-discrimination law in its own backyard.
On Tuesday night, after a series of clandestine meetings between local gay-rights backers and Mormons in Salt Lake City, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it would support proposed city laws that would prohibit discrimination against gays in housing and employment.
The ordinances passed and history was made: It marked the first time the Salt Lake City-based church had supported gay-rights legislation.
The Mormon church — which continues to suffer a backlash over its support last year of Proposition 8, the measure banning gay marriage in California — emphasized that its latest position in no way contradicts its teachings on homosexuality.
But the action is one of the strongest signs yet that even conservative religious groups that oppose same-sex marriage might be willing to support legal protections for gays that fall short of that.
At the same time, the church's position has angered some of its conservative allies on social issues, prompted questions about whether public relations is its real motivation, and put the church on the spot over how far it will go on similar legislation on the state and federal level.
"This is a very good public relations response that has the additional benefit of actually representing the way the current church leadership thinks," said Armand Mauss, a retired professor at Washington State University and scholar of Mormonism.
Some of the church's conservative allies in the gay marriage battles, however, call it a setback. The two new ordinances make it illegal to fire or evict someone for being gay, bisexual or transgender.
Such legislation robs employers and landlords of their rights and gives legal ammunition to judges sympathetic to gay marriage, said Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the conservative Family Research Council.
"It's disappointing and I'm fearful that it reflects in part a reaction to the attacks they came under after Proposition 8 — an effort to bend over backwards to exhibit tolerance toward homosexuals in some way," Sprigg said.
Michael Otterson, director of public affairs for the Mormon church, said Wednesday that church leaders were able to support the ordinance because it doesn't carve out special rights for gays.
Supporting "basic civil values," Otterson said, does not compromise the church's religious belief that homosexuality is a sin and that same-sex marriage poses a threat to traditional marriage.
"There are going to be gay advocates who don't think we've gone nearly far enough, and people very conservative who think we've gone too far," Otterson said. "The vast majority of people are between those polar extremes and we think that's going to resonate with people on the basis of fair-mindedness."
The position is not a reversal, Otterson said. In August 2008 the church issued a statement saying it supports gay rights related to hospitalization, medical care, employment, housing or probate as long as they "do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches."
Church officials say the city ordinances were not discussed in the recent meetings between church staff and gay rights leaders, and that it was the mayor who put the proposals on the table.
Harry Knox, director of the religion and faith program at the gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign, said the Mormon church's stand on the Salt Lake City ordinances could help alter the debate over gay rights.
"The church deserves credit, but that credit really comes because people have been pushing for it," Knox said. "It's not something thing they arrived at on their own and out of the goodness of their hearts."
The church's action is the latest sign of a softening among some conservative Christians toward offering some legal protections to gays.
Activists are trying to garner support from evangelicals for a federal employment anti-discrimination law that would cover gays. However, religious reaction was largely negative to a federal hate crimes act protecting homosexuals that President Barack Obama recently signed into law. Several conservative Christian groups argued that preaching against homosexuality could be deemed a hate crime under the legislation.
The Mormon church has not taken a stance on either piece of federal legislation.
Otterson, the church spokesman, said that in the case of the Salt Lake City ordinances, Mormon leaders weighed in because they were responding to a request for feedback on specific legislation.
Asked whether the church would take a stand on similar state or federal legislation, Otterson said: "The church leadership is not inclined to offer free advice where it's not being requested."
FARMS Says Joseph Smith Had Sex With More Than One Woman!
Click on the title above and go to Signature Books' web page and read all about it!
Christ: Is The Fullness Of Times
The various contributions that aided in bringing in the fullness of times.
"Environment
Political Contributions of Romans
1.Developed a sense of the unity of mankind under a universal law.
2.The extension of Roman imperial power during the period of empire building a period of peaceful development occurred in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean.
3.Developed an excellent system of roads radiating out from the golden milestone in the Roman forum to all parts of the empire.
4.The role of the Roman army in the development of the ideal of a universal organization and in the spread of the gospel
5.Roman conquests led to a loss of belief by many peoples in their gods because the gods had not been able to keep them from defeat by the Romans.
The conclusion that the Roman Empire provided a political environment favorable to the spread of Christianity in the days of its infancy.
Intellectual contributions of Greeks
1.The universal gospel was in need of a universal language if it was to make maximum impact on the world.
2.Greek philosophy prepared for the coming of Christianity by destroying the older religions.
3.The Greek people also contributed in a religious way to making the world ready to accept the new Christian religion when it appeared.
Both the Greek and Roman systems of philosophy and religion thus made a contribution to the coming of Christianity by destroying the old polytheistic religions and by showing the inability of human reason to reach God. The mystery religions, to which many turned, accustomed the people to think in terms of sin and redemption. This when Christianity appeared, people within the Roman Empire were more receptive to a religion that seemed to offer a spiritual approach to life.
Religious contributions of the Jews
Religious contributions to the "fullness of the time" include those of the Greek and Roman as well as those of the Jew. But however great may have been the contributions of Athens and Rome to Christianity by way of environment, the contributions of the Jew stand forth as the heredity of Christianity. Christianity may have developed in the political milieu of Rome and may have had to face the intellectual environmental created by the Greek mind, but its relationship to Judaism was much more intimate. Judaism may be thought of as the stalk on which the rose of Christianity was to bloom.
The Jewish people, in contrast to the Greeks, did not seek to discover God by processes of human reason. They assumed His existence and readily granted to Him the worship that they felt was His due. They were influenced toward this course by the fact that God sought them and revealed Himself to them in history by His appearances to Abraham and the other great leaders of the race. Jerusalem became the symbol of a positive religious preparation for the coming of Christianity.
Salvation was to by, indeed, "of the Jews," as Christ told the Woman at the well (John 4:22). From this tiny captive nation, situated on the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, a Savior was to come. Judaism provided the heredity of Christianity and, for a time, even gave the infant religion shelter.
A.Monotheism=Judaism existed in striking contrast to the generality of pagan religions by its emphasis on a sound spiritual monotheism.
B.Messianic Hope=The Jews offered to the world the hope of a coming Messiah who would bring righteousness to the earth.
C.Ethical System=In the moral part of the Jewish law, Judaism also offered to the world the purest ethical system in existence.
D.Old Testament Scriptures=The Jewish people still further prepared the way for the coming of Christianity by providing the infant church with its message, the Old Testament.
E.Philosophy of History=The Jews made possible a philosophy of history by insisting that history had meaning.
F.The Synagogue=The Jews also provided an institution that was most useful in the rise and development of early Christianity.
The matters that have been discussed show how favored Christianity was, both as to time and region, in the period of its emergence. At no other time in the world's history before the coming of Christ was such a large region under one law and government. The Mediterranean world also had one culture, centering in Rome.
One universal language made it possible to give the gospel to mast of the people of the empire in a tongue common to them and to the new religion, had a strategic location in this world. Paul was right in emphasizing that Christianity was not something "done in a corner"(Acts 26:26), because Palestine was an important crossroads linking the continents of Asia and Africa with Europe by a land route. Many of the most important battles of ancient history were fought for possession of this strategic area. In the period of Christianity's birth and during the first three centuries of its existence, conditions were more favorable for its spread throughout the Mediterranean world than at any other time in the ancient or medieval eras--Such is also the opinion of the worlds leading scholar of missions.
Throughout the contribution of the Greek and Roman environment and through the heritage of Judaism, the world was prepared for "the fullness of the time" when God sent forth His Son to bring redemption to a war-torn and sin-weary humanity. It is significant that of all the religions practiced in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ's birth, only Judaism and Christianity have been successful in surviving the changing course of human history." (Christianity Through the Centuries, A History of the Christian Church, Earle E. Cairns, Zondervan Publishing House, Chapter One, pp.35-43)
The Fullness of Times has been here for a very long time, even prior to the claim of Joseph Smith, Jr, who by his own thoughts, conceived the notion of a restoration during his time. The long quote above shows how Christ, our Savior IS "The Fullness of Times."
Christ became 'the fullness of the time" and is still, and always will be, "the fullness of times." For He is the beginning and the end, alpha and omega, Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.
