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Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 1
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Section 2 |
Index of Claims in "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile"
Claim
The authors claim that Joseph was told during the First Vision that "all the Christian Church's doctrines 'were an abomination'."
Author's source(s)
- Joseph Smith - History 19, Pearl of Great Price.
Response
- This is false. Joseph was told that the "creeds" were an abomination, not all the doctrines taught.
- For a detailed response, see: Creeds an abomination
- For a detailed response, see: Apostasy
- For a detailed response, see: Non-biblical and unscriptural ideas in the creeds
Claim
The authors claim that Mormonism is a "polytheistic religion," because of the belief that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three distinct and separate personages.
Author's source(s)
- Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 370.
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 576-577.
Response
- This is false. The Saints believe that God is "one," but understand this oneness differently than creedal trinitarians.
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/Polytheism and Polytheism
Claim
According to Joseph Smith, God "was once a man like us."
Author's source(s)
- History of the Church, 6:305
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/"God is a man"
Claim
Brigham Young said that the birth of Jesus Christ "was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action."
Author's source(s)
- Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:115.
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 742.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Jesus Christ/Conception
Claim
Jesus "is the brother of Lucifer."
Author's source(s)
- Milton Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, 15.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Jesus Christ/Brother of Satan
Claim
Latter-day Saints make a distinction between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit.
Author's source(s)
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 752.
Response
- LDS may use [needs work]
Claim
The authors state the "every worthy male, according to the standards of Mormonism, will become a god and rule over their own planet." The authors state that women are excluded.
Author's source(s)
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 2:48.
Response
- Men cannot be exalted without women; women cannot be exalted without men. The critics ignore the fact that human deification (theosis) is a prominent biblical teachings and found among the early Christians.
- For a detailed response, see: Nature_of_God/Deification_of_man and Human deification
- For a detailed response, see: Nature_of_God/Deification_of_man/Gods_of_their_own_planets and Gods of their own planets?
Claim
There is a "Mother God."
Author's source(s)
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions 3:143-144.
Response
- For a detailed response, see: Nature of God/Heavenly Mother
Claim
We are all spiritual offspring of our Heavenly Father and Mother, and we once lived in the pre-existence.
Author's source(s)
- McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 589.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
Claim
The authors claim that "Black people are black because of their misdeeds in the pre-existence."
Author's source(s)
- Melvin J. Ballard, Three Degrees of Glory, p. 21.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
Claim
The authors claim that salvation or exaltation "is based on one's own good works or merit."
Author's source(s)
- Lowell Bennion, "The Religion of the Latter-day Saints," p. 160.
- Church News, October 8, 1988, p. 23.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources
Claim
The authors claim that Latter-day Saint consider the Bible "suspect due to its many errors and missing parts."
Author's source(s)
- Articles of Faith No. 8, Ensign January 1989, pp. 25, 27.
Response
FAIR WIKI EDITORS: Check sources