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Everyday Apologetics

Everyday Apologetics. The Cults. Let’s Talk About Cults !. cult noun  ˈ kəlt a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous. Webster’s Dictionary.

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Everyday Apologetics

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  1. Everyday Apologetics The Cults

  2. Let’s Talk About Cults ! cult noun \ˈkəlt\ a small religious group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion and that has beliefs regarded by many people as extreme or dangerous Webster’s Dictionary

  3. Are They hurting anyone Other than themselves? Actual Christianity has Enough Knocks Against it without Others Claiming to be Christians Who Are Not! Our Churches have Judgmental, Hypocritical, Flawed People (Just Like me and You) who can give Christianity a Black Eye.

  4. ….. The problem with Cults is that while the mainstream church doesn’t claim the Cult, the Cult often will identify with the mainstream Church. They Call themselves Christians or say they are just another denomination. People can be deceived into believing that the cult represents what all Christians believe.

  5. MormonsChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints & Community of Christ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: @10 Million Members Headquarters Are Salt Lake City, Utah The Community of Christ: @250,000 Members Independence, Missouri Reject The ‘Mormon’ Name. Claim to be the True Church.

  6. Some Neat Things • Missionary Work is a High Priority • The most promising young People are encouraged to serve in the mission field as Young adults (Boys 19, Girls 21) • The practice of Tithing is strictly adhered • Fast Offerings- 1st Sunday of Each Month (Fast 2 meals, donate the price of those two meals to the church)

  7. History of the Mormon Church Founder: Joseph Smith, Jr. Born in Sharon, Vermont His father was a mystic and treasure hunter using “peep- stones” and divining rods to look for hidden treasure, a practice that Joseph Smith, Jr. also adopted. In 1820 Joseph claimed that God the father and Jesus appeared to him as he prayed in the woods and told Him how unhappy they were with the so called ‘Christian Church’ and called Joseph to lead a restoration movement.

  8. History of the Mormon Church Cont’d Smith claimed that he was led to a hill where he found a set of golden plates that contained the information that would become the book of Mormon. This book detailed how an ancient jewish culture crossed the pacific and came to reside in the Americas. It also discussed how Jesus appeared to the Native Americans with a message of redemption.

  9. History of the Mormon Church Cont’d These Golden tablets were Supposedly written in what Joseph Smith called ‘reformed Egyptian’. Joseph claimed that he was given a pair of glasses by the angel Moroni that allowed him to read and translate this language. Joseph Smith wrote in his book The Pearl of great price that Professor Charles Anthon of Colombia university had verified that the inscriptions were Reformed Egyptian Hieroglyphics and had been correctly translated.

  10. History of the Mormon Church Cont’d Professor Anthon wrote in a letter dated February 17, 1834 : I received this morning your favor of the 9th instant, and lose no time in making a reply. The whole story about my having pronounced the mormonite inscription to be “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics” is perfectly false ….. This paper (what the characters had been copied on to show Anthon) was in fact a singular scrawl. It consisted of all kinds of crooked characters disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared by some person who had before him at the time a book containing various alphabets. Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and nourishes, roman letters inverted or placed sideways were arranged in perpendicular columns, and the whole ended in a rude delineation of a circle, divided into various compartments……

  11. History of the Mormon Church Cont’d When Joseph Smith ‘translated’ the tablets he would set up an area in a room that was curtained. He would then call out the translation to someone sitting outside of the curtain who would write down the English translation.

  12. Nauvoo, Illinois Joseph Smith and his Mormon movement had moved from the East Coast to the town of Nauvoo, Illinois. Smith was the mayor Nauvoo. The Nauvoo Expositor was a local newspaper that IN its first edition revealed that Smith was practicing polygamy and wanted to set up a theocratic society with himself as the King. Smith took exception and had the newspaper Destroyed. He was arrested and taken to Carthage, Illinois for trial.

  13. Death of Joseph While waiting trial in Carthage a Mob stormed the jail and shot Joseph Smith Jr and his brother Hyrum. Most Mormons see both as a Martyr.

  14. Brigham Young Brigham Young became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1832.  He followed Joseph Smith through Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.  His missionary efforts, which proved to be very successful, led him to England in 1840.  Finally, after the death of Joseph Smith in 1844 he became the second prophet of the Mormon church and filled that position until his death in 1877.

  15. Interesting B.Y. Quotes Brigham Young said that your own blood must atone for some sins."There is not a man or woman, who violates the covenants made with their God, that will not be required to pay the debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out, your own blood must atone for it . . . ," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p. 247. (See also, vol. 4, p. 53-54, 219-220). Brigham Young said that you must confess Joseph Smith as a prophet of God in order to be saved." . . . and he that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is Antichrist," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p. 312).

  16. Interesting B.Y. Quotes Brigham Young said that he had never given any counsel that was wrong."I am here to answer.  I shall be on hand to answer when I am called upon, for all the counsel and for all the instruction that I have given to this people.  If there is an Elder here, or any member of this Church, called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who can bring up the first idea, the first sentence that I have delivered to the people as counsel that is wrong, I really wish they would do it; but they cannot do it, for the simple reason that I have never given counsel that is wrong; this is the reason,"  (Journal of Discourses, vol. 16, p. 161).

  17. Interesting B.Y. Quotes Brigham Young said that you are damned if you deny polygamy."Now if any of you will deny the plurality of wives, and continue to do so, I promise that you will be damned," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 3, p. 266). Also, "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 11, p. 269). Brigham Young taught that Adam was God."Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner!  When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him.  He helped to make and organize this world.  He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days!  about whom holy men have written and spoken--He is our Father, and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do.  Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later," (Journal of Discourses, vol. 1, p. 50).

  18. Mormonism’s Holy Texts *Mormons claim their Primary Text is the Bible (We will see some Dispute on this point looking at their Theology.) Other Holy Mormon Texts: The Book of Mormon Pearl of Great Price Doctrine and Covenants The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

  19. Book of Mormon • The Book of Mormon is supposed to be the account of people who came from the Middle-East to the Americas. It covers the period of about 600 B.C. to A.D. 400. It tells of the Jaredites, people from the Tower of Babel who came to central America but perished because of their own immorality. It also describes some Jews who fled persecution in Jerusalem and came to America led by a man called Nephi. The Jews divided into two groups known as the Nephites and Lamanites who fought each other. The Nephites were defeated in A.D. 428. • The Lamanites continued and are known as the American Indians. The Book of Mormon is supposed to be the account of the Nephite leader, who was called Mormon, as he wrote concerning their culture, civilization, and appearance of Jesus to the Americas. • Joseph Smith said "that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book," (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461).

  20. Beliefs of the Mormon Church (Text) • There are many gods, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 163) • There is a mother goddess, (Articles of Faith by James Talmage, p. 443) • God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children, (Mormon Doctrine p. 516) • God used to be a man on another planet, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 321) • After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god, (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-347, 354) • God resides near a star called Kolob, (Pearl of Great Price, pages 34-35, Mormon Doctrine, p. 428) • The Trinity is three separate gods, (James Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 35) • God is increasing in knowledge, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 120) • God has the form of a man, (Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 3). • God the Father has a body of flesh and bones, (Doctrine and Covenants, 130:22) • We were first begotten as spirit children in heaven and then born naturally on earth, (Journal of Discourse, vol. 4, p. 218).

  21. Other Mormon Beliefs (Mormon Text) Baptism for the dead, (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. II, p. 141). This is a practice of baptizing each other in place of non-Mormons who are now dead. Their belief is that in the afterlife, the "newly baptized" person will be able to enter into a higher level of Mormon heaven. The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible, (History of the Church, 4:461). 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). 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).

  22. Other Mormon Beliefs (Mormon Text) God the Father had a Father, (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 6, p. 476, Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 19, Milton Hunter, First Council of the Seventy, Gospel through the Ages, p. 104-105). God had sexual relations with Mary to make the body of Jesus, (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, 1857, p. 218, vol. 8, p. 115). This one is disputed among many Mormons and not always 'officially' taught and believed. Nevertheless, Young, the 2nd prophet of the Mormon church taught it. 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).

  23. Other Mormon Beliefs (Mormon Text) There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, (Mormon Doctrine, p. 348). 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). We need prophets today, the same as in the Old Testament, (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 444-445).

  24. Other Mormon Beliefs (Mormon Text) "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, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206). 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).

  25. What about Mormon Underwear? No, I Promise I am Not Kidding.

  26. A temple garment (also referred to as garments, the garment of the holy priesthood, or Mormon underwear) is a type of underwear worn by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement after they have taken part in the endowment ceremony. Garments are worn both day and night and are required for any adult who previously participated in the endowment ceremony to enter a temple. The undergarments are viewed as a symbolic reminder of the covenants made in temple ceremonies and are seen as either a symbolic or literal source of protection from the evils of the world.

  27. According to the LDS Church, the temple garments serve a number of purposes. First, the garment provides the member "a constant reminder" of the covenants they made in the temple. Second, the garment "when properly worn ... provides protection against temptation and evil". Wearing the garment is also "an outward expression of an inward commitment" to follow Jesus Christ.

  28. For a faithful Mormon there are three (Some sources site a fourth*) times when it is acceptable to take off the Garment. • When Swimming • Using the Bathroom • During Sex • At the Gym*

  29. Why is Mormon Underwear Important? Although temple garments are considered a private matter not openly discussed, church members are asked on a yearly basis whether they have been wearing them. Their answer influences whether they will remain in “good standing,” a term used to describe members who follow Mormon codes allowing them to visit a temple, one of the most sacred places for Mormons. To be in “good standing” comes from an interview process conducted by the local bishop, who asks members about their faith, if they have been tithing and whether they have been following church doctrine, which includes wearing temple garments.

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