Competing Religious Competing Religious Worldviews:Worldviews:MormonismMormonism

APOL 6543APOL 6543

Jesus Christ: “I came to testify to the truth.”

Pontius Pilate: “What is truth?”

Context firstContext firstWhy compare religions?Why compare religions?

One Point of View:“Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 7:13-14)

I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:6)

God

Islam

Buddhism

Mysticism

Ba’hai

Another Point of View: Different Paths to the Same Goal?

Are all religions on the same Are all religions on the same path?path?

• There is some similarity between most or all religions

• But…. On the most basic level of theology, all other religions (except Judaism?) are incommensurate with Christianity

• If Mormonism is right, then Jesus Christ is utterly misunderstood by Christians and we are not pursuing the ultimate path to heaven

Comparing worldviewsComparing worldviews• James Sire in The Universe Next Door (1997) defines a

worldview as “a set of presuppositions which we hold about the basic makeup of our world”

• A “Good” worldviewA) It is true (how do we determine that again?)B) It answers satisfactorily questions we need answers

(What types of questions again?)C) It causes believers to be better than they would

otherwise be

• Now, let’s explore our next competing world religion

Worldview #4Worldview #4MormonismMormonism

• Is the Church of Ladder-Day Saints just another testament of Jesus Christ?

• Joseph Smith (Founder)– Diviner, Treasure Hunter, Religious Fraud

issues

Early HistoryEarly History

• 1823 A visit by the angel Moroni– You will be given golden plates on the hill Cumorah

• 1827 Dug up golden plates. Written in “Reformed Egyptian.”

• Used the “Urrim and the Thummim” with his head in a hat to translate the Book of Mormon.

• Conveniently, God took the golden plates back to heaven.

The Hill Cumorah

• “His translation complete, Joseph had one further use for the golden plates. To assure skeptics that the plates did, indeed exist, he showed them to several trusted witnesses, who signed statements affirming that they had beheld the plates. In preparation for viewing the plates, the chosen witnesses prayed for several hours. After lengthy praying, one witness reported that he saw only an empty box. Joseph sent him out for additional prayer, after which the golden plates were fully visible to the witness.”

• Later, all these witnesses became apostate to Mormonism.

Understanding MormonismUnderstanding Mormonism

• This is my testimony…..

• Emotion-based religion.

• Mormons are, arguably, the most Christian-like group around, and they know it, and they use it in their evangelistic enterprises

Did Jesus come to the New World?

Statements by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society:

•"The Smithsonian Institution has never used the Book of Mormon in any way as a scientific guide. Smithsonian archaeologists see no connection between the archaeology of the New World and the subject matter of the Book.“ Official Statement, 1979

•"Neither representatives of the National Geographic Society nor, to my knowledge, archaeologists connected with any other institution or equal prestige have ever used the Book of Mormon in locating historic ruins in Middle America or elsewhere." Dr. Neal Judd

MORMON TEACHINGSMORMON TEACHINGS

• The Latter Day Saints• Modern-day revelation• We are all gods• Polygamy• Racism• Baptism for the dead

• Scriptures to bear in mind: Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12, 1 John 2:18-23.

The Latter Day SaintsThe Latter Day Saints• The original church completely fell away with the

death of the original apostles. There was no legitimate church for about 1700 years.

• “This is my testimony, Joseph Smith is a prophet and the Book of Mormon is the Word of God.”

We are all godsWe are all gods• The Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are

three separate gods.

• Mormonism is polytheism.– “I will preach on the plurality of gods. I have always declared God

to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit: and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.” Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 370.

– From Joseph Smith’s most famous sermon: “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!... I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil so that you may see… He was once a man like us; yea that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did.

PolygamyPolygamy• A new revelation against polygamy by the Utah church 1890

• Joseph Smith had at least 30 wives, some less than 15 yrs. old and took many other women as well.

• Celestial marriages.

• When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is Michael, the Ancient of Days! About whom holy men have written and spoken—He is our Father and our God, and the only God with whom we have to do.” Journal of Discourses vol 1, p 50.

• “The grand reason why the Gentiles and philosophers of his school persecuted Jesus Christ, was because he had so many wives; there were Elizabeth, and Mary, and a host of others who followed him.”

The Salt Lake City Temple

Engaging with Mormons in Engaging with Mormons in apologetics…apologetics…

• Emotion vs. reason (responses)• Attacking Joseph Smith probably not a winning

solution (responses)• Issues with archaeology (responses)

• Is this worldview a good one?

• Class discussion