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 QUESTION: You say that you are different from LDS and that your an ex-LDS. LDS do NOT believe in the more than one wife thing. They used to YEARS AND YEARS AGO but not anymore.
thanks,
Andrea
ANSWER: Hi Andrea,
Yes it is true I am ex-LDS. I belong to the Church of Christ that believes in the Book of Mormon.
Yes, the LDS have officially disavowed the practice of polygamy. However they STILL vigorously defend the PAST practice of polygamy by Brigham Young and others. I have debated with LDS folks for many years and they uniformly continue to defend the past practice as was done by several of their leaders.
Yet the Book of Mormon bitterly condemns the practice calling it a whoredom and abomination before God, no excuses, no exceptions. Those who practiced polygamy in the past were in open rebellion against the Book of Mormon teachings. The LDS should change their stand and say it was never good to practice this and their past leaders messed up. Even Brigham Young's wives hated it... some terming it a "Perfect river of tears" and "I have not been happy a single day for five years". Polygamy was nothing more than hard core adultery... and once many of his wives found themselves tricked into the situation, realized that is exactly what was going on... adultery.
There are other current doctrines the LDS do practice today that the Book of Mormon also never teaches, and in many ways condemns. Doctrines such as baptism for the dead, Celestial Marriage, the 1st Presidency, altering revelations, a Changing God and other doctrines are opposed by your own Book of Mormon. I find it ironic that here am I, an ex-Mormon, trying to convince Mormons to accept their own Book of Mormon.
Mike
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QUESTION: I am not mormon... I am engaged to one.. and trying to understand things. Can you explain to me what these things are that you said in the last message, "Celestial Marriage, the 1st Presidency, altering revelations, a Changing God". I do not believe in the Book of Mormon one bit, but my fiance and I need to find common ground before we get married, or realize we are not meant for each other.
Answer Hi Andrea,
I apologize for being slow in replying, for some reason my computer is treating All Experts as spam. I will reply to your question below in **, Mike
You sent: QUESTION: I am not mormon... I am engaged to one.. and trying to understand things. Can you explain to me what these things are that you said in the last message, "Celestial Marriage, the 1st Presidency, altering revelations, a Changing God". I do not believe in the Book of Mormon one bit, but my fiance and I need to find common ground before we get married, or realize we are not meant for each other.
**Mike replies: OK. I will try to clear this up somewhat. The LDS Utah Mormon church is one of some 100 churches that profess the Book of Mormon (and Bible). Yet the LDS Mormon church has many doctrines that are not once taught in the BoM (Book of Mormon). Instead they get many of these other doctrines from "Latter Day Prophets" and many of these teachings are taught in what they call the Doctrine and Covenants. Many of these doctrines are even condemned in the BoM so in many ways they do not follow the BoM while yet they still profess it. Kind of like Muslims who kill innocent people while professing the Koran that teaches against it.
Dating LDS is especially tricky and you will need to have things well worked out before considering marriage. Remember I said they have doctrines not taught in the BoM (or Bible for that matter)? One of these doctrines is Celestial Marriage. This LDS doctrine teaches that if righteous LDS members are "sealed" or "Married for time and eternity" inside their temples... they will be married in the afterlife forever. Part of this doctrine teaches that they shall inherit the highest degree of the 3rd glory and will reign as God's over their own planet and eternally will create spirit children as Gods. Yet Jesus plainly taught that the WORTHY in the afterlife will neither be married nor be given in marriage. Paul also taught that those who are married in this life will not be married in the next. Celestial Marriage is not once taught in the BoM and it teaches there is only One God who is unchangeable (contrary to an evolving LDS God who became God through Celestial Marriage).
The LDS doctrine of Celestial Marriage is a patently false doctrine along with many other LDS doctrines. The LDS do not care... if their Prophet says something then it cannot possibly be false in their eyes. They treat their prophets much like the Catholics view the Pope who cannot do wrong. They will believe in the most ridiculous and outrageous doctrines so long as their prophets teach it. Their religion is a cult in every sense of the word.
So back to your situation, why is this so important? It is so important because Celestial Marriage is the acme of their religion, the very most important thing... even more important than the atonement of Christ. In order to become sealed in their temples you MUST be a baptized member who has been faithful for at least a year. Faithful as in regularly attending, pays mandatory tithes (10% gross income), practices the Word of Wisdom in not smoking or drinking coffee and the like. People who are in civil marriages whose spouse is not baptized cannot be sealed, thus cannot become Gods. There is ENORMOUS pressure for the spouse to pressure their spouses to get baptized so that they can be sealed. Those who do not are considered 2nd class citizens and cannot rise far in the ranks of the LDS hierchy. A few cases some were even told to divorce their spouses so that they could marry LDS women and then become sealed. The whole thing is outrageous to me. The entire doctrine and precept is ludicrous and against even the very words of Jesus Christ Himself.
I strongly do not recommend a marriage with an LDS person unless you PLAN on becoming LDS yourself. Do not believe in the LDS religion? Either plan on pretending and going through the motions anyway, or plan on a very rocky marriage. Interfaith marriages in other religions is difficult enough, but it is especially so for LDS because of their Celestial Marriage doctrine. Even if the teaching is ludicrous and idiotic... it is the most important doctrine to them and it directly impacts marriages within their ranks, especially with mixed marriages where one spouse refuses to be LDS. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that you get this worked out with your fiance BEFORE considering marriage. It is far better to get this worked out now than go through a tragic divorce later. Some questions you may ask your spouse...
1. Would you still love me even if I never become LDS?
2. How will you handle pressures from your LDS brethren to get me converted, what happens if I do not?
3. How can you support this doctrine if neither the Bible nor your own BoM does teach it, and even teaches AGAINST it?
4. Do you really believe we will become Gods if we are sealed?
5. Are you willing to be baptized and be a faithful attending, tithe paying, Word of Wisdom practicing member in order to be worthy of a temple recommend?
6. If the LDS pressured your fiance to divorce you, would your fiance do it?
7. Would your fiance pressure you to be baptized even if you did not really believe in their doctrines?
These are serious and deep questions. Again please please get this worked out with your fiance before considering marriage. In all honesty I cannot recommend it but that is a choice you have to make for yourself.
Feel free to write me back for a follow up with more questions if you wish.
