Comparative World Religions

Compiled by Dr Glen Christie

Faith Bible College Part 6

MormonismThe Way

A History of Mormonism

Prepared by Dr Glen Christie, ThDComparative Religion

Faith Bible College

Joseph Smith, the Founder

Born 1805 Claimed to have received a vision during the NT revival, in 1820:

Sees the Father and Son Asks them which church he

should join Answer: None! They are all

corrupt!

The Book of MormonSmith is told he has been chosen to restore the church to its original purity.He is shown a set of golden plates containing God’s revelation for the Western world.Smith begins to translate tablets, said to be in reformed Egyptian, using the Urim and Thummim. The translation is published in 1830.

Translation of Golden Tablets“The priest could use the urim and thummin to determine God’s will in a particular situation. We are not exactly sure what the urim and thummin were, but the priest carried in his breastplate perhaps two sticks or stones, one white and the other black, that would give a yes or no answer to a specific question. Should Israel be preparing for battle, they would somehow shake or toss the sticks. If they turned up black the Israelites would not go to battle, and if they turned up white they would proceed into battle with the knowledge that they were in the will of God. That is one form of divination that God allowed in the Old Testament. in Exodus 28:30, “Also put the Urim and the Thummin in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.”

Joseph Smith’s CareerIn June 1829 Peter, James and John appear to Smith, restoring the Melchizedek priesthood. B of M is printed, 1830. Smith & followers begin to distribute “the Golden Bible.” First known as the “Book of Commandments”Later retitled as Doctrine and Covenants

Mormons after SmithBrigham Young becomes Smith’s successor.After 2 more years opposition, Young leads his followers to Utah, where they build their new society in the wilderness.The Mormons continue to evangelize in the US and Europe, encouraging converts to come to Utah.By the 1880s, there are 80,000 Mormons

Some Comments on History

Joseph Smith’s family was involved in the occult and something like crystal gazing before he founded the church.There are serious historical problems with Smith’s vision story.Though the Mormons were mistreated by their neighbors, some of their own words and deeds contributed to this.

Some Comments on History

The newspaper Smith destroyed was threatening to expose his teaching of polygamy, which was then only rumored among the Mormons.Smith had been practicing polygamy on the sly for some years, and some of his ‘wives’ were married to others.There is evidence that Smith had sexual relations with about forty women.

Mormon DoctrineTested by the Bible

Mormon DoctrineThe Mormon Scripture includes: The Bible – KJV The Book of Mormon The Doctrines & Covenants The Pearl of Great Price

The Articles of Faith – 1830

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are:

(1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (2) Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Articles of Faith – 1830

Believes in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, viz., apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.Believes in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.Believes the Bible to be the Word of God so far as it is translated correctly; also believes the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God.Believes all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and believes He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

Good Mormons become gods

“… if a man marry a wife by my word [with proper authorized ceremony] … ye shall come forth in the first resurrection … and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities … and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods… Then shall they be gods… then shall they be above all… because they have all power, and the angels are subject to them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law, ye cannot attain to this glory.” – D&C 132:19-23

Mormon Vs TraditionWill obviously deny that they worship other Gods, though they will admit that there are other Gods, and that God the Father, whom they worship, was once a man.Will have ways of explaining apparent disfulfillments of prophecies.Will claim that the Bible has been corrupted by the harlot church, and many ‘plain and precious promises’ removed from it.

Agree with Bible: Summary

The Book of Mormon does not appear to agree w/ the Bible in the matters of: Whether the fall of Adam was good or bad Whether the New Jerusalem will be in the

Eastern or Western Hemisphere Whether the inheritance of Joseph will be in

E or W Hemisphere Whether the God of the Bible has always

been God Whether we can earn our salvation or not

Some of these are serious matters!

Archeology & The Book of Mormon

In Alma 18:9-10, King Lamoni is pictured as having horses & chariots.The horse is now known to have been extinct in the W Hemisphere for many millennia until it was introduced again by the Spaniards.The wheel also never made it to the W Hemisphere until introduced by Europeans.

Archeology & the Book of Mormon

In fact, though the Book of Mormon names many great cities in the W Hemisphere, archeologists have yet to locate any of them, in stark contrast to the Bible’s references to cities.The Smithsonian Institution has a form-letter they send out to inquirers making just this point.

Archeology & the Book of Abraham

One of the major parts of Mormon Scripture is the Pearl of Great Price.This work contains several parts: The Book of Moses – visions revealed to

Joseph Smith in December, 1830 The Book of Abraham – an ancient Egyptian

scroll translated by Smith’s miraculous gifts Extracts from Smith’s translation of the

Bible and his History The Articles of Faith

History of the Book of AbrahamJoseph Smith purchased several Egyptian scrolls from a traveling showman.Smith claimed that he could translate these by his divine powers, and that they told a story about the experiences of Abraham when he was in Egypt.At the time, no one on earth could translate ancient Egyptian.The scrolls disappeared after Smith’s death, and were thought to have burnt in the Chicago fire.

History of the Book of Abraham

Smith copied pictures from the scrolls and printed them in his Book of Abraham.These pictures were shown to several archeologists to get their opinion.They said Smith was mistaken about the main picture, and it had been modified.Naturally, Mormons disagreed with this.

History of the Book of Abraham

Recently, the scrolls turned up in a NY museum, which gave them back to the Mormon church when this became public. The text of the scrolls has now been translated. They have nothing to do with Abraham!They show the picture has been modified.

History of the Book of Abraham

Shortly before the scrolls turned up, the text of Smith’s Egyptian Alphabet & Grammar was made public.This shows that Smith did not know Egyptian!It also contains samples of text which he had copied from the scrolls, showing how he had translated particular texts.

Conclusions on Mormonism

Joseph Smith is a false prophet.The Book of Mormon, Doctrines & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are false revelations.Mormonism is a false religion.

Victor Paul Wierwille1916-1985

History of the Founder Born in New Knoxville, Ohio Raised “in the fundamental

atmosphere of the Evangelical and Reformed Church” and “from his youth he wanted to be a minister.”

Attended Mission House College which is now known as Lakeland College in WI.

Obtained a Master of Theology degree at the Princeton Theology Seminary

Took classes at Moody Bible Institute Taught homiletics at Gordon Divinity School Received his doctorate at Pikes Peak Seminary

History of the Founder Moody Bible Institute’s registrar reveals

no records of his class completion

Wierwille did not concentrate in biblical studies as he claimed at Princeton; rather he studied advanced preaching

His TH.D. became controversial because Pikes Peak Seminary was considered to be a “degree mill” without “resident instruction …published list of faculty…and accreditation.”

UH….OH !!

History of the Founder

1941 Victor was ordained into the Evangelical and Reformed Church

Wierwille “began to feel inadequate in meeting the spiritual needs of the congregation.”

1942 he defined his goal to discover the Power of Abundant Living.

Found himself trailing away from the beliefs of the Evangelical and Reformed Church

Began creating his own understanding

Created his own national religious movement

History of the FounderOn his way to THE WAY

Wierwille’s direction became clear when he though God had spoken to him

“And that’s when He spoke to me audibly, just like I’m talking to you now. He said He would teach me the word as it had not been known since the first century if I would teach it to others.”

By 1955: Victor incorporated The Way International

TWI claim to be a nondenominational research and teaching ministry

New Believer Classes Initial course: “Power For Abundant

Living” Use the Bible (only New Testament but

excluding the Gospels) Wierwille believes he has the True

Understanding of the Bible and other people misconstrue the true meaning of God’s words.

Membership and Understanding

The Trinity TWI do not believe in the Trinity.

Teaches that Jesus is NOT God.

Jesus regarded as a perfect human created by sinless sperm.

To further denounce the trinity, Wierwille claims that the Holy Spirit is a synonym for God.

Salvation In order to be saved one must

believe that Christ is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins.

A person is saved through oral confession

Once saved, they can no longer sin because everything they do – is the will of God.

Wierwille uses the difference between Standing and State to explain why one will never lose salvation after it is gained.

Proof of Salvation

Believers are taught not to believe in Christ but of Christ.

When God saves a person, he gives them Gifts: Speaking in Tongues Interpreting Prophecy Wisdom Ability to perform miracles Ability to heal others

The Laws God instituted unchangeable

principles to be obeyed by Christians which he calls the laws:

Law of Believing As one believes he recieves. “Fear is sand in the machinery of

life”

Law of Tithing One must give %10 of Gross

income. As well as Abundant sharing. This is done to keep away

sickness and ensures prosperity and wealth.

Leadership and Membership TWI not a violent groupWierwille was a charismatic leader:

claimed to be God’s Spokesman and acted as a father by calling all the members his children

Tried to socially encapsulate members.Similar to other Christian groups such as the

Pentecostals, the Presbyterians and the Evangelical Reform Church.

Apocalyptic Belief: That Jesus will return on the day of Pentecost.

Leadership and Membership

Had a large (10%) population of members who were homosexuals, other sexual deviants, and sympathizers.Rampant sexual misconduct: adultery and child abuse.Lawsuits: Woman-alleged “treated like girlfriend, and Wierwille raped her”Investigation from IRS: Using tax-exempt funds for political reasons

Uh…OH !!

It’s probably not what you’re searching for !

THE END