AboutMichael Kelley Expertise For a different viewpoint on Mormonism for your questions, try me. I am a staunch believer in the Book of Mormon and belong to another church (the Church of Christ)that is set up identically to the Biblical church. If there are things about traditional Mormonism that trouble you or you have questions about, just ask and you might find the answers from the Book of Mormon to be quite surprising. I have been studying the scriptures diligently for 16 years under the school of hard knocks... I may not have all of the answers but will sure go find them if I don`t. I`m strongest on Biblical and Book of Mormon doctrines, and am also somewhat familiar with Mormon history and archaeology.
Question You said that your church is organized exactly the same as the primitive church in the Bible. My question is, why isn't your church founded on a foundation of prophets and apostles like the church used to be? (Ephesians 2:19-20) If you have no prophet and apostles, who is it that holds authority and recieves revelation from God to lead his church?
And just out of curiosity, you also mentioned you believed in the Book of Mormon. Wouldn't that mean that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God? And that the Book of Mormon was a fruit of the prophet Joseph Smith? Do you think Mormons are wierd?
Answer Hi M,
I will be happy to answer your questions. Please note that I am ex-LDS and belong to the original Church of Christ that believes in the Book of Mormon.
Our church is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ... that is the same foundation that the prophets and apostles were built on. The Church of Christ has Apostles as the overseers of the church. We do not have one prophet as the head. Many in our church, primarily Elders and Apostles have had the gift of Prophecy and Revelation given to them from time to time. In the scriptures even women and children have been given the gift of prophecy. It is Jesus Christ who leads our church, not one man in the position as a pope or supreme commander.
Joseph Smith could be technically labeled as a prophet but really he was more of a translator than a prophet. He himself makes no claim as authoring any portion of the Book of Mormon. Research shows conclusively (at least in my mind) that the Book of Mormon was written by several authors of Hebrew decent. Many critics often point out the poor English grammar found in the Book of Mormon but fail to realize that the grammar is excellent Hebrew grammar.
Do I think Mormons are weird? Well, I don't know if I would say that. There are many points of their beliefs that I strongly disagree with. Doctrines such as the past practice of polygamy, the current beliefs of Celestial Marriage, Baptism for the Dead, the First Presidency, a Changing God, Man becoming a God, Etc. are all utterly absent from the Book of Mormon and in many ways are even taught against in the Book of Mormon. You see the very reason why I left the Utah faction is BECAUSE I believe in the Book of Mormon (and Bible). Doctrine for Doctrine the Bible and Book of Mormon agree without exception. The LDS Utah faction in many ways disregard the teachings of the Bible and Book of Mormon and instead blindly follow the teachings of those whom they call prophets.
Joseph Smith fell into this idolotrous trap. Really the only prophecy of his that I know of that ever really came to pass was the one fortelling of his own demise because of his pride and yielding to the temptations of the world.
Do I believe God used Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon and restore the Church of Christ? Absolutely. Do I view him as an infallible pope who never made a mistake? No. Many in the Bible such as David and Solomon started out humbly and God used them, even to write scripture, but later they gave into the temptations of the flesh and it destroyed their lives and reputations. David penned the Psalms yet had 100s of wives and concubines and murdered Uriah to steal his wife. Solomon penned the Proverbs but also had many wives and concubines and brought into Israel strange wives with their idolotrous religions which led to Israel's complete apostasy and ruin. Evangelicals will decry the mistakes of Smith but wouldn't think of tearing out Psalms or Proverbs from their Bibles.
In summary I believe Joseph Smith was used by God, possibly as a prophet, but fell and he and the church paid dearly for it. Due to Smith's mistakes I believe God allowed him to be killed and the church scattered by her enemies (even in this land of religious freedom)... much like what happened to Israel time and time again when they apostatized. Even in the Old Testament there are a couple of cases of true prophets apostatizing, Balaam for one who was rebuked by a dumb ass, another that was eaten by a lion.
Today their are some 100 factions that believe in the Book of Mormon, the LDS faction being by far the largest.
