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 ok so here's my question, when you or anyone on this website answered questions, i noticed that some if not most of you scriptual refercences were pulled out of context or were not completely put into your answer. and i just want to know why you couldnt put the whole verse afterwards because if you dont, you take the wrong thing from it. and i personally think that's wrong. Also, i think that people cant become gods. thats wrong i mean how do you figure that?? where do you get that from??? i KNOW its not ANYWHERE in the Bible. I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to Earth, died for all our sins, was resurrected on the third day is lives now in Heaven with His Heavenly Father waiting for the day he can come and get us and take us to be with Him. I understand that you believe in this Joseph Smith fellow. but here is my question for you. Didnt Joseph Smith die???? My God is the ONLY God who died, and came back to life and is still living. Jesus loves you and wants you to love Him too.
--katy<3 age 15
Answer Hi Katy,
I will be happy to answer your questions, please note I am ex-LDS and belong to the original Church of Christ that believes in the Book of Mormon. I will reply to each of your questions below in **, Mike
You sent: ok so here's my question, when you or anyone on this website answered questions, i noticed that some if not most of you scriptural references were pulled out of context or were not completely put into your answer.
**Mike replies: You must be referring to the LDS "Experts" that do this. I too share your frustration with dealing with the Utah LDS folks who do that regularly. I like to use entire passages as well as cross references to back up my beliefs. If the examples and teachings of Jesus Christ do not back up my beliefs... it is time to change my beliefs.
Katy: and i just want to know why you couldn't put the whole verse afterwards because if you don't, you take the wrong thing from it. and i personally think that's wrong.
**Mike: It is wrong, I fully agree. You must have confronted them about some of their doctrines such as the past practice of polygamy and racial discrimination, and the current doctrines of Celestial Marriage, Baptism for the Dead, Man becoming Gods, a Changing God, 1st Presidency etc. All of these doctrines are utterly absent from both the Bible and Book of Mormon and even strongly taught AGAINST in both books.
Katy: Also, i think that people cant become gods. thats wrong i mean how do you figure that?? where do you get that from??? i KNOW its not ANYWHERE in the Bible. I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to Earth, died for all our sins, was resurrected on the third day is lives now in Heaven with His Heavenly Father waiting for the day he can come and get us and take us to be with Him.
**Mike: Oh I agree 100% with you. Here is what the Book of Mormon teaches:
2 Nephi 31:21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.
**Mike adds: I can provide at least a dozen other quotes from the Book of Mormon, or Bible, that plainly teach that there is only One God, who is utterly unchangeable, perfect, omnipotent and has existed for all eternity. You see, the very reason why I left the Utah LDS faction is BECAUSE I believe in the Book of Mormon, as well as the Bible.
Katy: I understand that you believe in this Joseph Smith fellow. but here is my question for you. Didnt Joseph Smith die???? My God is the ONLY God who died, and came back to life and is still living. Jesus loves you and wants you to love Him too.
**Mike: Oh I agree. I view Smith like I do King Saul, David and Solomon. They started out on the right foot, God specifically chose them for a work, and they became popular and forgot God and committed many sins which caused God to be angry with them, even totally reject them. Solomon, supposedly the wisest man on earth, took upon himself 1000 wives and concubines (breaking the law of Moses) and brought in strange religions such as Ashtoreth and Baal. Ashtoreth was a fertility goddess, basically a temple of prostitution, and Baal and Molech... they would burn their children alive to sacrifice them to these idols. Solomon did this! This totally corrupted all of Israel. God was so mad that He refused to forgive them even after the righteous King Josiah completely purged Israel of all of these things later. Israel was besieged upon by the Babylonians, most killed, and the remnant taken prisoner and scattered. All this because of the wisest man on earth rebelled against God. Even so... nobody would even consider tearing out the books of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes from their Bibles. The Bible compilers understood that David and Solomon were men of God AT THE TIME THEY WROTE THOSE BOOKS.
Unlike the LDS, I view Joseph Smith in the same light, he started out humble and sincere like David and Solomon, translated (not authored) the Book of Mormon and restored the Church of Christ (as it was originally called). However the people worshipped Smith like a Moses and this corrupted him and the church. I believe God completely rejected this fallen prophet and allowed many disasters to occur to them for polluting His church. After Smith's death the church split apart into several factions, the LDS Utah polygamous faction being the largest. The Book of Mormon terms polygamy as a whoredom and abomination and those who do such things shall be thrust down to hell, no exceptions, no excuses.
In summary I believe Smith to be a chosen prophet who later apostatized. There are numerous historical evidences that seem to prove he had only one wife ever, Emma. She and her son helped create the RLDS church. I believe Brigham Young started polygamy and falsely attributed it to Smith with an unsigned revelation given years after Smith's death. I believe Young was NEVER a prophet of God and after reading some of Young's sermons about Blacks and his wives can only deduce that Young was ALWAYS a false prophet and the embodiment of pure evil. Young has done more to discredit the Book of Mormon than all of the enemies to the Restoration combined.
Feel free to ask other questions about the Restoration and Book of Mormon. I promise I won't wrest scriptures to back up my beliefs. You will probably find we agree on most things.
