|
Disillusionment
|
|
SEARCH this website or watch this !!!
|
Thousands of disillusioned Mormons are clinging to a sanitized version of Joseph Smiths Legacy, but is the a better hope ? I respond with a firm Yes. Check out my new faith heroes on youtube. They are Todd White , Heidi Baker , Francis Chan , Tony Campolo . All of them demonstrate the power of God in their own lives. More to come soon. Meanwhile search for these names on this site to find the links. Disenchanted Ex Mormons are very active on reddit (15k+). John Dehlins Podcast Community (7k+) helps disillusioned Mormons to grapple with the truth. About half of the disillusioned Mormons are estimated to stay within the LDS church while the other half appears to leave. Of those who leave caters for the disillusioned. Some become atheists or newagers. The RLDS/CoC are doing a good job in sorting the myth from the truth. We must be careful not to destroy the doubters faith in Jesus Christ by giving them a better hope and through a demonstration of the love and power of God. More at http://bit.ly/1xFvVcI
This website reflects my faith journey in discovering the truth about Mormonism (cartoon) and seeking further light & truth which lead to my ultimate return to my Christian foundations. My target audience are Mormons that go through doubts as well as potential proselytes (investigators considering to become Mormons). Faithful Mormons that are happy with their faith but interested in discovering Mormonisms many controversial issues are advised to study the official LDS topics section first at https://www.lds.org . The Mormon church slowly makes revisions as it slowly admits to have spread some fiction and some errors. And the Saints keep marching on. It is a delicate issue and it is tragic if somebody looses faith in Jesus altogether. Nobody has embodied the father heart and divine nature of God more than Jesus the Messiah and his closest disciples then and now !. He is alive. In that testimony I agree with all Mormons. These days I can only accept Joseph as one of many religious seekers who was lucky enough to make it to fame at a time and in a society that was relatively tolerant. But let me say there is more light and knowledge to be had outside of Mormonism - welcome to Moremon. Back to Basics - Read J Streeters Because of Him !
Is Mormonism the ONLY True Church of Jesus Christ ?
Mormonism has an apostolic leadership structure and owns its existence to the claim that priesthood authority was lost among mankind and had to be restored by God through the means of physical angelic ordinations. Mormonism is deeply spiritual in its claims, attracts spiritual people and fosters spirituality among members as it centers on a divine testimony of the miraculous call and comprehensive fullness of truth it teaches. Mormons will say Mormonism is the ONLY True Church of Christ and Christians will say its a false church and a counterfeit or heretical depiction of truth. It has originated in 1830 in the US and was based on the visions and revelations of a young boy. It has been viewed as a Christian Cult or Christian heretical sect as well as the first modern American religion. Are Mormons Christians then ? The answer can be either yes or no depending on your chosen criteria or judgement. I believe it was solely based on the revelations and innovations of one man (Joseph Smith) and it has morphed within 14 short years from mainline charismatic Christianity to heretic and esoteric beliefs. Some of Smith's revelations may have been true and he would have more merit as a philosopher, but he claimed absolute truth and authority without being able to produce the credentials and that is the Mormon dilemma. With undeniable facts gathering momentum I have come to the cross roads and so has the Mormon church. The foundation of early Mormonism (1830) is Christianity, but the essence of Mormonism at the time of Smiths's dead in 1844 was supreme Godhood for polygamous saints (since July 12, 1843) by obtaining and fulfilling temple rituals. Today Mormons belief that monogamous married couples will qualify just as well and polygamists get excommunicated.
The Character of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smiths character and achievements have been praised to high heaven as well as most severely criticized. Quotes such as "God is my right hand man" have been seen as proof of his Narcissism. Besides ULM MRM and LDS Transitions (WIICS) also stands out for its theological angle in critiquing and debating Mormonism. To be fair we should also consider fair Mormon's writings in his defence.
A word for Christian Critics !
It is very hard for Mormons to de-convert from Mormonism as it entails a very real loss of identity. For a man it is the loss of his priesthood authority, but in some instances women pay an even higher price. The author does not intend to sit in judgement of Mormons and Mormonism to which he had vowed allegiance in the past. He has meanwhile however recanted his vows and submitted his resignation beliefing he has made an error of judgement and hence is no longer in a position to honor his vows with regards to the LDS church, he is however quite happy to honor his baptismal covennant he has made with the God in Christ. His belief in priesthood power and authority has been extended to the universal body of Christ. None of the authors first hand experiences with Mormonism where sinister and he does not belief that he has served another God, rather he beliefs that his perception of God was flawed. Both Mormons and Christians have labelled each other Satanic and probably still do, but it is not for me to judge who goes to heaven. I belief it is more a matter of the heart then inerrancy doctrine / theology. Theologically however it is evident that the Mormon Gospel is another Gospel than the Evangelical Gospel and both camps agree. Mormons however believe that Christians are aberrant and hence they brought Christs perfected Gospel, while Christians view the Mormon restoration (attributed to God) as human heresy. So the Mormon image of God is either divinely inspired or a human intervention based on a heretical projection. Mormonism is by no means alone in making absolute claims of divine authority. Have a look at the contemporary bizarre claims of Todd Bentley , the dubious NAR apostleship claims and Apollo Quiboloy's claim to be Jesus Christ Incarnate which holds sway with 6 millions followers. He has a mansion and a private jet in the Philippines and he is not the only one to claim to be the Christian Messiah. In consideration of all that Mormons do actually not look that unique or bad at all. Joseph Smith never claimed to be Messiah, but he did steal his honor when his success went to his head.
The Truth & Grace
It is by grace we are saved "after all we can do" or "before we can do anything". Theologically a big issue, but at the end of the day faith without work is dead. If the heart is right and the spirit is empowering our lives then for me his grace is sufficient regardless of doctrinal or theological correctness. So if I see a Mormon serving the Lord by serving the suffering in Iraq in the name of Christ then I am not his judge and I accept him as a brother in Christ.
Mormonism has an apostolic leadership structure and owns its existence to the claim that priesthood authority was lost among mankind and had to be restored by God through the means of physical angelic ordinations. Mormonism is deeply spiritual in its claims, attracts spiritual people and fosters spirituality among members as it centers on a divine testimony of the miraculous call and comprehensive fullness of truth it teaches. Mormons will say Mormonism is the ONLY True Church of Christ and Christians will say its a false church and a counterfeit or heretical depiction of truth. It has originated in 1830 in the US and was based on the visions and revelations of a young boy. It has been viewed as a Christian Cult or Christian heretical sect as well as the first modern American religion. Are Mormons Christians then ? The answer can be either yes or no depending on your chosen criteria or judgement. I believe it was solely based on the revelations and innovations of one man (Joseph Smith) and it has morphed within 14 short years from mainline charismatic Christianity to heretic and esoteric beliefs. Some of Smith's revelations may have been true and he would have more merit as a philosopher, but he claimed absolute truth and authority without being able to produce the credentials and that is the Mormon dilemma. With undeniable facts gathering momentum I have come to the cross roads and so has the Mormon church. The foundation of early Mormonism (1830) is Christianity, but the essence of Mormonism at the time of Smiths's dead in 1844 was supreme Godhood for polygamous saints (since July 12, 1843) by obtaining and fulfilling temple rituals. Today Mormons belief that monogamous married couples will qualify just as well and polygamists get excommunicated.
The Character of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smiths character and achievements have been praised to high heaven as well as most severely criticized. Quotes such as "God is my right hand man" have been seen as proof of his Narcissism. Besides ULM MRM and LDS Transitions (WIICS) also stands out for its theological angle in critiquing and debating Mormonism. To be fair we should also consider fair Mormon's writings in his defence.
A word for Christian Critics !
It is very hard for Mormons to de-convert from Mormonism as it entails a very real loss of identity. For a man it is the loss of his priesthood authority, but in some instances women pay an even higher price. The author does not intend to sit in judgement of Mormons and Mormonism to which he had vowed allegiance in the past. He has meanwhile however recanted his vows and submitted his resignation beliefing he has made an error of judgement and hence is no longer in a position to honor his vows with regards to the LDS church, he is however quite happy to honor his baptismal covennant he has made with the God in Christ. His belief in priesthood power and authority has been extended to the universal body of Christ. None of the authors first hand experiences with Mormonism where sinister and he does not belief that he has served another God, rather he beliefs that his perception of God was flawed. Both Mormons and Christians have labelled each other Satanic and probably still do, but it is not for me to judge who goes to heaven. I belief it is more a matter of the heart then inerrancy doctrine / theology. Theologically however it is evident that the Mormon Gospel is another Gospel than the Evangelical Gospel and both camps agree. Mormons however believe that Christians are aberrant and hence they brought Christs perfected Gospel, while Christians view the Mormon restoration (attributed to God) as human heresy. So the Mormon image of God is either divinely inspired or a human intervention based on a heretical projection. Mormonism is by no means alone in making absolute claims of divine authority. Have a look at the contemporary bizarre claims of Todd Bentley , the dubious NAR apostleship claims and Apollo Quiboloy's claim to be Jesus Christ Incarnate which holds sway with 6 millions followers. He has a mansion and a private jet in the Philippines and he is not the only one to claim to be the Christian Messiah. In consideration of all that Mormons do actually not look that unique or bad at all. Joseph Smith never claimed to be Messiah, but he did steal his honor when his success went to his head.
The Truth & Grace
It is by grace we are saved "after all we can do" or "before we can do anything". Theologically a big issue, but at the end of the day faith without work is dead. If the heart is right and the spirit is empowering our lives then for me his grace is sufficient regardless of doctrinal or theological correctness. So if I see a Mormon serving the Lord by serving the suffering in Iraq in the name of Christ then I am not his judge and I accept him as a brother in Christ.
Making double U-turns
My journey of faith started in 1954 age 14 when I was confirmed into the Lutheran Church in Germany. I liked my religion lessons and the ritual, but it didn't change me much as I dropped church attendance straight after and just got busy having a little bit of fun growing up. Eventually with Mormons on our doorstep my spiritual hunger persisted and I became a seeker which included Eastern meditation. When the Mormons converted my family in 1968 I resisted and by 1971 I became a reasonably committed Christian. One year later in 1972 I became a Mormon because I thought it was Jesus way for me to find peace in doing his will, but it was a crutch and didn't last the distance and in 1995 I became a Christian again. It was not easy facing my doubts again and searching for a better hope.
I have formally resigned from the LDS church in 2014 on good terms, that is without bitterness and without a judgemental note after a long and sole wrenching struggle. Sentiments do vary and you may find inconsistencies of mine on this site and on other ones. I have stated that I could not belief again and return and it would be honest and fair to fully terminate covenants and allegiances that I was unable and unwilling to keep. I value honest inquiry for Mormons and informed decision making for prospective Mormon Proselytes that covers Mormonisms magic world view during its foundational years. I love the Mormon people and my extended family and know first hand the pain of those who have faced a break down of their belief system. See Mormon Open Letter. Mormonism relationship with truth is a paradox rather than an antinomy. For me the revision of doctrines is evidence that the leaders recognize some legitimate and substantial problems. Continuous revisions have replaced continuous revelations in an effort to maintain the claims to exclusive authority and sole truth. The magic works until history runs its course. Mormonism has much good to show and it gives hope (albeit some of it is false) and I belief it will follow the RLDS church and will endure. When a Mormon's faith falters he looks for a better hope and a sustainable faith and that was in my case a return to the essence and roots of Christianity. It appears that less is more as I rediscovered a vibrancy in basic Christianity that I knew was rare, but it was there in 1972 and is even more so present in our time. The light does shine in the darkness.
My journey of faith started in 1954 age 14 when I was confirmed into the Lutheran Church in Germany. I liked my religion lessons and the ritual, but it didn't change me much as I dropped church attendance straight after and just got busy having a little bit of fun growing up. Eventually with Mormons on our doorstep my spiritual hunger persisted and I became a seeker which included Eastern meditation. When the Mormons converted my family in 1968 I resisted and by 1971 I became a reasonably committed Christian. One year later in 1972 I became a Mormon because I thought it was Jesus way for me to find peace in doing his will, but it was a crutch and didn't last the distance and in 1995 I became a Christian again. It was not easy facing my doubts again and searching for a better hope.
I have formally resigned from the LDS church in 2014 on good terms, that is without bitterness and without a judgemental note after a long and sole wrenching struggle. Sentiments do vary and you may find inconsistencies of mine on this site and on other ones. I have stated that I could not belief again and return and it would be honest and fair to fully terminate covenants and allegiances that I was unable and unwilling to keep. I value honest inquiry for Mormons and informed decision making for prospective Mormon Proselytes that covers Mormonisms magic world view during its foundational years. I love the Mormon people and my extended family and know first hand the pain of those who have faced a break down of their belief system. See Mormon Open Letter. Mormonism relationship with truth is a paradox rather than an antinomy. For me the revision of doctrines is evidence that the leaders recognize some legitimate and substantial problems. Continuous revisions have replaced continuous revelations in an effort to maintain the claims to exclusive authority and sole truth. The magic works until history runs its course. Mormonism has much good to show and it gives hope (albeit some of it is false) and I belief it will follow the RLDS church and will endure. When a Mormon's faith falters he looks for a better hope and a sustainable faith and that was in my case a return to the essence and roots of Christianity. It appears that less is more as I rediscovered a vibrancy in basic Christianity that I knew was rare, but it was there in 1972 and is even more so present in our time. The light does shine in the darkness.
Cognitive dissonance
Mormonism has set out to instill certainty in matters of belief, but in providing hope that in part is false the truth has been compromised. As a blended religion with ordinances designed to grant admission to an exclusive heaven of Gods and Goddesses, called the celestial kingdom it provides a unique belief system with ordinances for eternal Marriage in Polygamy. It is an extrapolation reminiscent of pagan fertility religions far from the Jewish tradition and fuse into Christianity in the name of Jesus. It is not my heart to judge today's Mormonisms leaders sincerity of faith as they have inherited the Mormon dilemma just as I did. Since I was unable to resolve it in the same manner as they did the honest thing for me was to ultimately resign after almost 20 years of fellowshipping with evangelical Christians. Even then it was not easy to resign. It feels a bit like a Jewish thing as it has become part of my identity and covenant relationship with God. In making the decision I wanted to be careful as to not offend the Holy Ghost. I still belief that even as a Mormon I did enjoy a portion of the Holy Ghost in spite of the false doctrines from which the LDS church slowly departs in modern times. Mormonism has contributed to who I am and the formation of my value system. I love the Mormons as a people and wish them well as I still cherish my relationships and all positive aspects of culture and faith that have for many years shaped my life and have become part of the heritage that I have passed on to my children.
The Mormon view of God depicts a God who is in full control of religion in preparation of his millennial kingdom on earth and who provides mankind with absolute church authority and doctrinal certainty that reaches into eternity. When a Mormon learns the truth about the history and character of Joseph Smith and looses faith in his exclusive divine mandate, then he automatically looses some of his faith in the God as he knew him and well as faith in ever finding such a God elsewhere in history. Absolute knowledge, certainty and church authority turn out to be a delusion as far as Mormonism is concerned and an illusion if there is hope maintained that it can be found elsewhere. This double disillusion explains why it is so hard for Mormons to give up their religion.
The Anatomy of a Mormon Testimony
The Mormon testimony centres on gaining certainty that the living God and his Son Jesus have brought exclusively authorized religion to the world and that salvation is only found in its rituals. Mormons are not cessationists, their God acts and answers prayers. But as it turns out literal truth is slowly giving way to a more mystical concept of truth to transform mere belief into a mystical certainty due to a lack of factual material truth. Unfortunately the foundational material truth is pure fiction and has been scientifically disproven. This is important to understand, because the well informed Mormon faces a real paradox between science and faith more so than any Christian would. We are not talking about an antinomy where complimentary truth co-exists in a material sense, such as the scientific reality of particle waves duality that we can not explain but nevertheless remains real and true in both its aspects. Rather we face the paradox of conflicting systems of thoughts or belief systems that in reality are mutually exclusive. That is why it so shattering for a Mormon to accepts a new reality of undeniability. The very essence of belief and trust in a personal, living and interacting God as he knew him is at stake and he needs a new mindset as well as new personal revelations of God's grace and truth in an experiential manner. Without being able to lean at the authority of an apostolic leader who seemed happy to furnish all answers new personal answers to prayer without the guidance of the LDS prophet and his apostles are needed. At the same time personal answers to prayer received as a TBM have to be sorted into true and false, which is a test of faith and trust. Such are the struggles that need to be worked out on a personal level.
Mormons are lead to get their own divine testimony of spiritual truth and they are lead to judge the truth based on a combination of the LDS churches claim to absolute authority, the divinity of the book of Mormon and today's LDS churches good fruits in the lives of its members. However prospective converts as well as members have been mislead about the controversial origin of its canonized pseudo historic scriptures. The spiritual world in the after life is very real and populated by a full spectrum of spirits spanning good and evil. But our discernment on earth is very limited. No doubt Joseph was a spiritual and visionary man as well as a con-artist and given to strong magic beliefs. His revelations have some spiritual and mystical value, but are not absolute truth as claimed. Mormons are taught many myths and then conditioned to integrate all narratives as anecdotal evidence for an all encompassing truth sanctioned by a divine mandate. For the discerning Mormon however the art lays in the differentiation and harvesting of the eternal core truth embedded in mythology, conjecture and heresies and filter out residual truth, love and light. Those who fail to do that may end up at the extremes of the spectrum.
The Mormon Mindset
To be fair to Mormon intellectuals that are happy to engage online I would like to state that there are at least 10 000 well informed protagonists that face off against at least 10 000 well informed antagonists. However I believe that a vast majority of 99% is either not well informed or prefers to remain silent or simply does not care to investigate the credibility of their faith with full scrutiny. Having said that I would like to give Mormons a chance Mormons to speak for themselves first. Let's start with Greg Trimble's "Give me something better than Mormonism".
Mormons self identify as Christians and pray to God in Jesus name. They worship him weekly and take communion. They follow an apostolic church model as revealed by Jesus Christ, adhere to water baptism and weekly communion patterned after the biblical Christianity of the first century. They belief that Jesus has permeated all scripture from the beginning to the end. They where well ahead of modern Christianity by praying to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. But in embracing Masonry later on and expanding on it they went far beyond the doctrines of biblical Christianity. To a small degree they have distanced themselves from a few controversial teachings thanks to historical research and public pressure. Their landmark scriptures, claimed to be the translations of historical documents are widely regarded imaginary and scientifically unsustainable. But nevertheless its adherents deep rooted certainty of imaginary revelations produces respectable and productive lives of faith.
Tad Callisters BYU devotional talk reveals the mindset and strength of faith of the majority of LDS members very well. Unable or unwilling to face the perplexities of #mormontruth and open the pandora box and have members taste deeply from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the LDS church rather propagates ist dreams and claims and its goodness for social proof of the divine. Thereby it still inspires certainty and hope in its members. That is why the LDS church is marching on, albeit much slower. Enthusiasm is still strong among the many beautiful young people I know, but the convert yield per missionary and retention rates of new converts are down. Mormonism polarizes, it's truth claim is binary and can not reasonably tolerate a middle ground. Based on it's claims its critics can not accept a middle ground either. We must allow for the fact that good people can be wrong, but false prophets in sheep cloth may deceive for a while but will ultimately not bear good fruit.
Here is an example of Tad Callisters Mormon Logic: You cannot call the fruit good and then call the tree bad. The Savior taught that truth long ago: “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). Accordingly, if the doctrinal fruit we have discussed tonight is good, then the tree from which it sprang—Joseph Smith and the accompanying underlying history of those revealed truths—is likewise good. You cannot have one without the other.
The Mormon History Challenge
Mormonism is a rather unusual denomination, which pursues certainty in matters of Christian faith based on the 19th century revelations of Joseph Smith which nowadays are propagated by 80 000 missionaries with faith promoting media. The Mormon people have created a unique communal people culture similar to the Jewish culture. They are well learned and together with the Jews they have established the best documented history of a people and their religion. They are living productive lives and foster a strong people culture, family culture, sound principles, education, achievements and personal inspiration. In learning their true history a slowly increasing number of Mormons are shocked by Mormonisms duplicity and checkered past. Most likely there are more than 100 000 well informed Mormons nowadays and the majority has stayed Mormon albeit at a cost. This pro LDS movie reaches 600k views with an approval ratio of 6:1 while the critical MT clip reaches 400k views and LDR 3:1.
Josephs has captured the hearts of his followers with his audacious claims and charisma, but he was a saint and sinner and has lied about the matters of faith and truth. The Mormon people are good believing people I have met some wonderful credible LDS like Enzio Busche, who's testimony and integrity has impacted my life. Josephs early writings as expressed in the Book of Mormon where predominantly good and inspiring fiction, but even there some disturbing teachings emerge. His later doctrines became contaminated by free masonry, paganism and false revelations. Joseph has left us with no middle ground to stand on with regards to his claims to absolute truth, hence they must be 100 % accepted or rejected. Mormon scripture is a fusion of truth and falsehood which produces a false security in matters of truth. In unveiling the truth about the complex origin of the Mormon religion we must make sure that we do not kill faith in Jesus Christ. The process is delicate, just like chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Mormons stand out in shaping their followers testimonies based on their apocryphal extensions to scripture and an appeal to seeking the truth directly from God in prayer. Based on the propagation of a manipulated reality attributed to God the results are contaminated. Mormons are good people and Christians must rely on facts as well as testimony coupled with much love and understanding to help Mormons to correct their errors. Interesting is that the Mormons since 2013 talk more openly about "What is truth" and how to deal with doubts, finally admitting that they can be legit. There is a reason thousands have now been exposed to 100+ true lies and left, but the saints keep marching on and spread their elusive truth. Read more about Uchtdorf on Mormon Curtain and wealth and influence on Packham.
The Pursuit of Truth
In the mid 1820's Joseph Smith started a career to make a living as a psychic and professional practitioner of folks magic who simultaneously morphed into Christian spirituality with visions, prophecy and healings. Some possible conclusions:
- He believed in magic > He is not the Christian prophet he claimed
- He faked belief to make money > He is not the Christian prophet he claimed
- He believed in Christ and magic > He is not the Christian prophet he claimed
- He never practised magic and is the Christian prophet he claimed (Court records rule out this option)
In pursuing true faith, false faith needs to be demolished and replaced with a better faith and that is painful. A Mormon living with false doctrines, but in a strong (projected) faith relationship with Jesus Christ (answers to prayers / faith miracles) will find that his faith in Jesus Christ will survive when his faith in Joseph Smith crumbles. On the flip side a strong Mormon believer is much more inclined to resist all doubts about the integrity of Joseph Smith due to his faith in Jesus Christ. A strong integrated Mormon-Christian faith paradigm makes differentiation in the face of cognitive dissonance really hard, because the human mind looks for meaning and seeks to connect the dots and integrate all faith experiences. Those conscientious inquirers who dig deep to know all truth and are honest enough to themselves come face to face with the Mormon dilemma. Read the story of Mormon turned atheist Richard Packham. I have abandoned the Mormon Church in 1995 to join a Christian Fellowship That makes me an XMO or NEMO (Newborn Enlightened Mormon) who happens to be still on the LDS record. Grant Palmer is a great example for the path I took. See interview1 and 2. Please note that Palmer has ultimately been forced out of the LDS church in Utah.
Mormonisms dissenters and distractors however must beware that they do keep their thinking positive. There is a real danger to dwell predominantly on the negative (as I have noticed about myself) and define themselves as anti or activists, thereby sinking into destructiveness and negativity and not having to offer something better. What helped me most to make the transition is that I knew before I left that there was something better and only then did I tear down what I had. We must spend more time and thought on being protagonists of something good, rather than antagonists of something bad.
Joseph and Jesus - Exclusive and Inclusive Models of Thought
Is Mormonism Christian or is it not ? Some say YES (to both). The answer depends on our point of reference. Mormons have strong beliefs in Jesus Christ. They understand it as a personal testimony of Jesus Christ as their redeemer and Joseph Smith as his Prophet. To recognize the real Jesus we need to consider the historical Jesus, the Jesus of first century revelations, the Jesus of revelations through the ages and the Jesus of Mormon revelations. Millions of adherents and millions of critics have taken up polarized positions. The same is true for the question is the Mormon Jesus the same as the Christian Jesus and how do they both compare to the real 1st Century Jesus that was manifest in History and Mystery (Visions).
Tens of thousands of Mormons are coming to a point where they loose their faith in the integrity of Joseph Smith and his absolute truth claims. It boils down to the question: "Is Jesus the revelator of all Mormon doctrines or has Joseph just projected his insights and visions on him ?" I was very offended however when my new Christian friends told me that I was putting my trust for salvation in a false Jesus and I have struggled with that concept for many years.
Did I serve a false Jesus that I felt close to for 23 years or did I just have a false image of him? Did I hear a false voice or mixed voices. I would prefer the inclusive model of thought, that is Mormonism teaches a false image of the true Jesus, who nevertheless saves all sincere believers and answers all prayers. On the other hand the bible is very strong on the exclusive model of thought in context with worshiping a false image. It's called idolatry. Josephs Jesus by implication is married to have qualified for Mormon Godhood. The historical Jesus was not interested in money, but as the supposed head of the LDS kingdom he now owns a 5 billion dollar shopping mall and more. So is Joseph Smith's Jesus the founder of a religion that fuses spirituality with prosperity, power and sex ? If there is no middle ground then the exclusive model of thought reigns. More on Mormon coffee (mrm) - read the Genius of the Book of Mormon.
The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it.” (Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1:1, October 15, 1850) [Mormon Coffee]
Has God Institutionalized Salvation ?
The Mormon Church provides a Christian blend of illusion that appeals to the souls hungry for certainty and a God in control. Its claim is that God has instituted the Church of Jesus Christ in the days of Jesus. Authority was lost, truth diluted. Finally in the Mormon story God after many centuries cared enough to take control again. Hence he sent Angels to a New York Farm boy to restore his power for time and eternity. And he provided proof hardware, new scripture and a Jewish style community. And this would captivate the pious and convince the skeptics all over the world. So far the Mormon Illusion (Delusion) has proven an enduring Ideology embraced by a people of 5 Million.
But history always seems to run its cause. Nearly 200 years after Smiths first vision the Mormon time in the sun has still not peaked. While zeal remains high, growth has slowed down significantly in the internet age. As to divine intervention some say Joseph was removed because he died an early death and others say he was martyred. But the saints keep marching on while the world at large simply does not care. It appears however that God is not concerned enough to intervene with the many leaders that have made exclusive claims in his name. He neither seemed to have favored them over the more humble leaders, nor did he remove any denominations for blasphemy. Sectarian Leaders often seem to be so sure and are equally often surely wrong.
Keeping the faith
When arriving at the crossroads of faith some Mormons that want to revert to their Christian roots of and mere biblical faith. The particular tough challenge they face is keeping their trust in Jesus while dismantling their faith in Joseph and the LDS apostolic leaders that they now feel have mislead them no matter how well intentioned.
The Mormon people have created a unique communal culture similar to the Jewish culture. They are living productive lives and foster a strong family culture, sound principles, education, achievements and personal inspiration. In learning their less well known controversial history a slowly increasing number ends up shell shocked by Mormonisms duplicity and checkered past.
Facing the Internet challenge the best protective defense line for LDS members desiring to keep their faith in Mormonism is not to look too deep into history and only use LDS friendly sources for digging up sensitive information. This is the official line and is designed to inoculate members that want to know more.
For those who read widely from all sources undeniable severe structural defects in Mormonisms truthfulness are very hard to ignore. The painful dissonance contrasts with the bubble culture of faith, goodness and inspiration. Informed Members end up contemplating whether to stay or leave. Many of those staying keep using their testimony "BUT I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE" like a mantra or magic spell to maintain certainty and ward off doubts. Anthony Robbins comes to mind. Certainty is one of the top psychological human needs.
Some have managed to determine that a myth is still worth living for and that honesty can be compromised for the greater good of faith or comfort. And those who leave must choose between reforming their faith in Jesus Christ or transitioning to another belief system, even deism, atheism or agnosticism. The author of this site beliefs that the case for Christianity's essential truths and for Jesus Christ being alive today remains strong and is able to survive scientific scrutiny with compromising honesty.
A number of Post Mormons end up developing a post religious world view, such as atheist or spiritual. For those travelling down this road I highly recommend http://www.near-death.com. NDE's provide a strong case for an afterlife and the survival of consciousness. Even science can't proof a mindless universe or refute a conscious one. Travelling down the NDE path still allows to maintenance of an essentially Christian worldview.
Is Mormonism Christian or is it not ? Some say YES (to both). The answer depends on our point of reference. Mormons have strong beliefs in Jesus Christ. They understand it as a personal testimony of Jesus Christ as their redeemer and Joseph Smith as his Prophet. To recognize the real Jesus we need to consider the historical Jesus, the Jesus of first century revelations, the Jesus of revelations through the ages and the Jesus of Mormon revelations. Millions of adherents and millions of critics have taken up polarized positions. The same is true for the question is the Mormon Jesus the same as the Christian Jesus and how do they both compare to the real 1st Century Jesus that was manifest in History and Mystery (Visions).
Tens of thousands of Mormons are coming to a point where they loose their faith in the integrity of Joseph Smith and his absolute truth claims. It boils down to the question: "Is Jesus the revelator of all Mormon doctrines or has Joseph just projected his insights and visions on him ?" I was very offended however when my new Christian friends told me that I was putting my trust for salvation in a false Jesus and I have struggled with that concept for many years.
Did I serve a false Jesus that I felt close to for 23 years or did I just have a false image of him? Did I hear a false voice or mixed voices. I would prefer the inclusive model of thought, that is Mormonism teaches a false image of the true Jesus, who nevertheless saves all sincere believers and answers all prayers. On the other hand the bible is very strong on the exclusive model of thought in context with worshiping a false image. It's called idolatry. Josephs Jesus by implication is married to have qualified for Mormon Godhood. The historical Jesus was not interested in money, but as the supposed head of the LDS kingdom he now owns a 5 billion dollar shopping mall and more. So is Joseph Smith's Jesus the founder of a religion that fuses spirituality with prosperity, power and sex ? If there is no middle ground then the exclusive model of thought reigns. More on Mormon coffee (mrm) - read the Genius of the Book of Mormon.
The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it.” (Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1:1, October 15, 1850) [Mormon Coffee]
Has God Institutionalized Salvation ?
The Mormon Church provides a Christian blend of illusion that appeals to the souls hungry for certainty and a God in control. Its claim is that God has instituted the Church of Jesus Christ in the days of Jesus. Authority was lost, truth diluted. Finally in the Mormon story God after many centuries cared enough to take control again. Hence he sent Angels to a New York Farm boy to restore his power for time and eternity. And he provided proof hardware, new scripture and a Jewish style community. And this would captivate the pious and convince the skeptics all over the world. So far the Mormon Illusion (Delusion) has proven an enduring Ideology embraced by a people of 5 Million.
But history always seems to run its cause. Nearly 200 years after Smiths first vision the Mormon time in the sun has still not peaked. While zeal remains high, growth has slowed down significantly in the internet age. As to divine intervention some say Joseph was removed because he died an early death and others say he was martyred. But the saints keep marching on while the world at large simply does not care. It appears however that God is not concerned enough to intervene with the many leaders that have made exclusive claims in his name. He neither seemed to have favored them over the more humble leaders, nor did he remove any denominations for blasphemy. Sectarian Leaders often seem to be so sure and are equally often surely wrong.
Keeping the faith
When arriving at the crossroads of faith some Mormons that want to revert to their Christian roots of and mere biblical faith. The particular tough challenge they face is keeping their trust in Jesus while dismantling their faith in Joseph and the LDS apostolic leaders that they now feel have mislead them no matter how well intentioned.
The Mormon people have created a unique communal culture similar to the Jewish culture. They are living productive lives and foster a strong family culture, sound principles, education, achievements and personal inspiration. In learning their less well known controversial history a slowly increasing number ends up shell shocked by Mormonisms duplicity and checkered past.
Facing the Internet challenge the best protective defense line for LDS members desiring to keep their faith in Mormonism is not to look too deep into history and only use LDS friendly sources for digging up sensitive information. This is the official line and is designed to inoculate members that want to know more.
For those who read widely from all sources undeniable severe structural defects in Mormonisms truthfulness are very hard to ignore. The painful dissonance contrasts with the bubble culture of faith, goodness and inspiration. Informed Members end up contemplating whether to stay or leave. Many of those staying keep using their testimony "BUT I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE" like a mantra or magic spell to maintain certainty and ward off doubts. Anthony Robbins comes to mind. Certainty is one of the top psychological human needs.
Some have managed to determine that a myth is still worth living for and that honesty can be compromised for the greater good of faith or comfort. And those who leave must choose between reforming their faith in Jesus Christ or transitioning to another belief system, even deism, atheism or agnosticism. The author of this site beliefs that the case for Christianity's essential truths and for Jesus Christ being alive today remains strong and is able to survive scientific scrutiny with compromising honesty.
A number of Post Mormons end up developing a post religious world view, such as atheist or spiritual. For those travelling down this road I highly recommend http://www.near-death.com. NDE's provide a strong case for an afterlife and the survival of consciousness. Even science can't proof a mindless universe or refute a conscious one. Travelling down the NDE path still allows to maintenance of an essentially Christian worldview.
Mormonthink on Youtube
|
“God created man in His image, and man has returned the favor.” (Mark Twain)
"If we don't leave the church, then we don't have to concentrate on all the bad stuff just so we can justify our choice to leave." (New Order Mormons)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 (NIV)
"The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it.” (Orson Pratt) |
