Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Chapter 17

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Claims made in "Chapter 16: Mormon Racism: Black Is Not Beautiful"
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A work by author: Richard Abanes
 Claims made in "Chapter 18: Cover-Ups, Conspiracies, and Controversies"

Claims made in "Chapter 17: Is Mormonism Christian"

Page Claim Response Author's sources

375 epigraph (PB)

 Gordon B. Hinckley is listed as "President, Mormon Church"
  • There is no church called the "Mormon Church."
  • Perhaps in this epigraph to a chapter entitled "Is Mormonism Christian?", the author wished to avoid stating the true name of the Church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
  • N/A

375, n3 (PB)

 The author presents his second significant reason that people join the Church as "the long-held Mormon notion that Latter-day Saints are innately better than non-Mormons."
  •  The author's claim is false
  • This claim actually originated with the Tanners. The author also quotes the Tanner's primary source. See: Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Moody Press, 1979), 27.( Index of claims ).
  • Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon mentioned among the many reasons the author presents for joining the Church—the reason most Latter-day Saints themselves would give.
  • Attitude to non-members
  • Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, 236.

376 (PB)

 Does the Church have a "standard practice" of "not disclosing controversial doctrines?"
  • No source provided.

376 (PB)

 Did early LDS leaders take a "staunchly anti-Christian stance."
  • No source provided.

377, n8(PB)

 Did Joseph actually say that all the churches of Christendom "were all wrong" and that Christian ministers "were all corrupt?"
  • Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History 1:19

377 (PB)

 Did Joseph claim that all other churches were founded by Satan and part of the "satanic world system?"

377, 600n11-14 (PB)

 Did LDS leaders sped 150 years calling Christians "derogatory names" and insulting them?

378, 601n18-21

 The author presents a table contrasting "Mormon Beliefs About Jesus" with "Christian Beliefs About Jesus."

379 601n22(PB)

 Did President Hinckley actually "confess" that Latter-day Saint do not believe in the same 'Jesus' in which non-LDS Christians believe?

379-380 601n23 (PB)
  • Did Bruce R. McConkie discourage people from attempting to form a "personal relationship" with Christ?
  • McConkie said:

"[Y]ou have never heard one of the First Presidency or the Twelve...advocate this excessive zeal that calls for gaining a so-called special and personal relationship with Christ..."

380

 Is the "LDS teaching" that there exists more than one god is refuted by the Bible?

380

 The Bible says that "God will share His glory with no one," so how could one hope to become like Him?
  • These verses say God will not give his glory to another. That is, God will not cease to be God or decline in glory. But, the scriptures are clear that God will share his glory with others: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" (Revelation 3:21).
  • Deification of man

380, 601n25

 Paul said in the Bible that "the natural (or physical) comes first, then comes the spiritual." Why then, did Brigham Young say that people are "made first spiritual, and afterwards temporal?"

381, 601n26

 The author states: "The Christian gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4)." The Latter-day Saint gospel, by contrast is represented by a statement by George Q. Cannon, who said that LDS believe that "evolution of man until he shall become a god" was "the Gospel of Jesus Christ, believed in by the Latter-day Saints."
  • George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, vol. 1, 9.

383, 601n29

 Do LDS dismiss the Bible's teachings "whenever they contradict official LDS beliefs?"
  •  Misrepresentation of source: Elder McConkie wrote simply that "The Church uses the King James Version of the Bible, but acceptance of the Bible is coupled with a reservation that it is true only insofar as translated correctly." Thus, the Bible is scripture, but if the translation or transmission of the text has been corrupted, why ought one to accept it?
  • Latter-day Saints may have a different interpretation of the Bible than the author, or his brand of Christianity. What makes his interpretation valid and another invalid? No two Christian denominations believe in all the same biblical readings.
  • Biblical_inerrancy
  • Textual_criticism
  • Bible complete and sufficient? / Sola scriptura
  • Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 764.

383-4, 601n31

 Did LDS leaders repeatedly condemn the Bible?
  • Orson Pratt, "The Bible and Tradition, without Further Revelation, an Insufficient Guide," Divine Authenticity fo the Book of Mormon—No. 3," December 1, 1850, 47. Reprinted in Orson Pratt, Orson Pratt's Works, vol. 2.

385

 Did the Church present itself as a "Christian organization" only by restricing accurate information about LDS beliefs?
  • Author's opinion

385, 601n37-38
  • Was a "faithful Mormon" excommunicated for "accurately" explaining "Mormon doctrines and history?"
  • Did the Church respond that such information had to be suppressed so that the Church could become more "mainstream" Christian?
  • T. LaMar Sleight, letter to Michael Barrett. Quoted in Bill McKeever, "Excommunicated for Publicly Discussing Mormon Doctrine?", Mormonism Researched (Summer 1994), 3.

388

 Did Gordon B. Hinckely answer questions evasively?
  • No source provided.

389, 603n45 (HB)

 Gordon B. Hinckley said: "None of you need worry because you read something that was incompletely reported. You need not worry that I do not understand some matters of doctrine. I think I understand them thoroughly."
  • Gordon B. Hinckley, October 1997 General Conference Address.

389

 The author states: "The masking of Mormonism has continued unabated...Mormonism's smoke-screen of words has served to greatly confuse observers..."

391, n53

 Have Latter-day Saints attempted to "infiltrate" Christian churches in order to convert entire congregations?
  • Rick Branch, "Mormon Church Infiltrates Christianity," Watchman Expositor, vol. 9, no. 3, 7.

393-400

 Is the LDS Church really a "cult?"
  • Various

400

 The author states: "[T]he LDS hierarchy will have to at some point, once and for all, completely sever its ties with Christianity. Only by taking such an approach will Mormonism be able to forever distance itself from the 'cult' label and claim for itself some degree of legitimacy and integrity in the eyes of many religion researchers, especially those adhering to the historic Christian faith."
  • Author's opinion.

Further reading

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{{To learn more box:responses to: 8: The Mormon Proposition}} To learn more box:responses to: 8: The Mormon Proposition edit
{{To learn more box:''Under the Banner of Heaven''}} To learn more about responses to: Under the Banner of Heaven edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Robert Price}} To learn more about responses to: Robert Price edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Ashamed of Joseph}} To learn more about responses to: Ashamed of Joseph edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Beckwith and Moser}} To learn more about responses to: Beckwith and Moser edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Beckwith and Parrish}} To learn more about responses to: Beckwith and Parrish edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Benjamin Park}} To learn more about responses to: Benjamin Park edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bible versus Joseph Smith}} To learn more about responses to: Bible versus Joseph Smith edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Bible versus Book of Mormon}} To learn more about responses to: Bible versus Book of Mormon edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Bill Maher}} To learn more about responses to: Bill Maher edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Carol Wang Shutter}} To learn more about responses to: Carol Wang Shutter edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Charles Larson}} To learn more about responses to: Charles Larson edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Christopher Nemelka}} To learn more about responses to: Christopher Nemelka edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Colby Townshed}} To learn more about responses to: Colby Townshed edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Contender Ministries}} To learn more about responses to: Contender Ministries edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Crane and Crane}} To learn more about responses to: Crane and Crane edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Denver Snuffer}} To learn more about responses to: Denver Snuffer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Dick Bauer}} To learn more about responses to: Dick Bauer edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: Ed Decker}} To learn more about responses to: Ed Decker edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: George D Smith}} To learn more about responses to: George D Smith edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Grant Palmer}} To learn more about responses to: Grant Palmer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Hank Hanegraaff}} To learn more about responses to: Hank Hanegraaff edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Hurlbut-Howe}} To learn more about responses to: Hurlbut-Howe edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James Brooke}} To learn more about responses to: James Brooke edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James Spencer}} To learn more about responses to: James Spencer edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: James White}} To learn more about responses to: James White edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jerald and Sandra Tanner}} To learn more about responses to: Jerald and Sandra Tanner edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jesus Christ-Joseph Smith or Search for the Truth DVD}} To learn more about responses to: Jesus Christ-Joseph Smith or Search for the Truth DVD edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: John Dehlin}} To learn more about responses to: John Dehlin edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Jonathan Neville}} To learn more about responses to: Jonathan Neville edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Kurt Van Gorden}} To learn more about responses to: Kurt Van Gorden edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Laura King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery}} To learn more about responses to: Laura King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Loftes Tryk aka Lofte Payne}} To learn more about responses to: Loftes Tryk aka Lofte Payne edit
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{{To learn more box:responses to: New Approaches}} To learn more about responses to: New Approaches to the Book of Mormon edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard Abanes}} To learn more about responses to: Richard Abanes edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard Van Wagoner}} To learn more about responses to: Richard Van Wagoner edit
{{To learn more box:responses to: Richard and Joan Ostling}} To learn more about responses to: Richard and Joan Ostling edit
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