1. The book of Mormon
When we begin to
study the beliefs of the Mormons, a good approach is to start with their
sacred books, which are, in addition to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the
Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl
of Great Price. These
three books, which are not found in other Christian circles, are the most
important for them, along with the Bible.
In this chapter,
we are going to take a look at the Book of Mormon, which is the best known and
most significant of these three books. Joseph Smith, the Prophet of Mormons,
made this book known. He said that he found golden plates on the ground, and
that these plates contained the story of the Book of Mormon in the reformed
Egyptian language. Along with these plates, he also found a breastplate and
the Urim and the Thummim, which he could use as
assistance when translating this book into English. He also received help from
other people when translating their text.
What is inside the
Book of Mormon? It tells a story about how the ancient tribes of Israel
wandered to America, increased there, and how Jesus, after his death, appeared
to them and established a church amongst them. The present-day Native
Americans are believed to be descendants of these ancient Israelites.
However, when we
look at the background and contents of the Book of Mormon, we can find
numerous problems and contradictions. We can mention at least the following:
The reformed
Egyptian language. Regarding the
text placed on the golden plates, Smith claimed that it was written in
reformed Egyptian. However, why would Jews have written text in the Egyptian
language when they had their own language, Hebrew? They could also have used
Aramaic. Why would they have used another language – one that, generally
speaking, they would not have been able to speak? It is unlikely that they
would have done so.
When the text that
Joseph Smith copied from the golden plates was studied, it was observed that
this language never existed. This suggests the presence of deceit. For
example, Professor Charles Anthon – the same man whom Smith claims to have
been convinced of the genuineness of the hieroglyphic text – explained in his
letter dated 17 February1834 to E.D. Howe, who examined the origins of the
Book of Mormon, that he deemed the whole reformed Egyptian language a hoax:
The whole claim that
I had said the Book of Mormon to be reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics is
completely unfounded. I soon came to the conclusion that it was a pure
swindle. (…) The paper included everything else but Egyptian hieroglyphs. (1)
Also, Uuras Saarnivaara gave
a specimen of the text on the golden plates to an expert. The expert was not
familiar with this reformed "Egyptian language":
The writer of this sent
a copy of the text (Finnish Mormon magazine Valkeus, May
1956, p. 153) that Smith claimed to have come from the golden plates to the
British Museum of London in the latter part of the year 1960, so that an
expert in the field of ancient Egypt could study it, and asked if he could get
a statement about whether or not the claims of Joseph Smith about this were
right. An answer dated 9 January 1961 arrived, in which the head of the
department (Keeper), I. E. S. Edwards writes, "I can only say that during my
25 years of experience in the Egyptian language, I have never seen any of
these graphic characters anywhere in Egyptian memorials or papyrus documents.
If this text is what Joseph Smith claimed it to be, "the reformed
Egyptian language", it has been reformed in such a way that there is no
possibility whatsoever to mistake it as being Egyptian.”(2)
The Breastplate,
the Urim and the Thummim. When
Smith was translating, he believed that he was using the breastplate and in it
the Urim and Thummim as assistance. But how could
Smith have gotten hold of those objects, since they belonged to the High
Priest of Israel? How could these important objects have ended up on another
continent? It would have been highly unlikely that someone found these objects
several thousand years later, on another continent more than 10,000 kilometers
(6,213.7119224 miles) from Israel, buried in the ground.
- (Exo 28:30) And you
shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and
the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the
LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart
before the LORD continually.
The length of
text on the golden plates. The
size of the gold plates and how much text would fit on them remains a mystery.
If the total volume of the golden plates was about 15 x 18 x 20 cm (5.9 x 7 x
7.8 inches) and from this eventually only a third formed the text of the Book
of Mormon, it is a mystery how the whole text could fit in such a small stack
of plates. This seems impossible, since there are hundreds of pages of dense
text in the present Book of Mormon. This many-hundred-page-text cannot fit
into such a small space, because metal plates are considerably thicker than
paper and because one must use larger symbols for carvings. Uuras Saarnivaara explained
this mystery and problem:
The question of the
weight and size of the plates of the Book of Mormon is handled in the Finnish
Mormon Magazine (Valkeus, June 1960).
According to Smith, the dimensions of the plate book were about 15 x 20 x 15
cm (5.9 x 7 x 7.8 inches). If the plates were eight-carat gold, they would
have weighed more than 53 kilograms (116.8 pounds): a heavy load even for a
man! The Finnish Book of Mormon has 545 pages and the pages are about 12.5 x
18 cm (4.9 x 7 inches). The English version contains 522 pages. According to
Smith, the Book of Mormon includes about 1/3 from the whole text of the gold
plate book. The whole weight of the gold plate book would have, therefore,
been more than 150 kilos (330 pounds). How could Smith have carried it? And
would it have been possible to engrave the text of the Book of Mormon on a
pile of metal plates about 15 cm (5.9 inches) thick? When printed on paper,
this book is almost 2 cm (0.7 inch) thick. When we take into account the facts
that inscribing requires considerably larger characters and that the metal
plates are considerably thicker than paper and do not fit together so well, it
is apparent that inscribing the text of a book this size even on a pile of
metal plates two times thicker is impossible in practice. (…)
Even though we
cannot say exactly how much space the same text in the Egypt language would
require, it is sure that the text of the Book of Mormon would have needed
about 300- to 400 metal plates. Lifting up a "book" like that would have
called for an elephant! (Let alone the entire book which, according to Smith,
was three times larger, since 2/3 of it was "sealed" and he was not allowed to
translate it). (3)
Seeing the gold
plates, and eyewitnesses. Many
peculiarities are associated with the gold plates and eyewitnesses:
Revelation. Smith
said he dug the plates from the ground in 1827 and held them to himself some
years until he gave them to a messenger called Moron. In this respect, it is
indeed strange that in 1829, when Smith had to show the gold plates to the
first three eyewitnesses in the forest, he did not have them with him but
instead, they all had to pray in order to get a revelation about this from
God. This raises some questions; if the golden plates are real and Smith had
them in his possession, why did they have to pray for revelation about
it? Doesn’t this praying for a revelation prove that it was, after all, only a
hallucination, and that the gold plates were not real? It is difficult to
believe in the reality and materiality of gold plates, if seeing them depends
on prayer and the appearing of a spirit being.
Joseph asked the Lord
and then informed these three that if they were to humble themselves, they
would get the right to see the ancient chronicle and have the responsibility
to testify to the world what they had seen.
In the summer of
1829, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer retired
to a forest close to the home of Whitmer in the southern part of the state of
New York. In the bright daylight, they knelt to pray; Joseph prayed first and
others followed him and prayed but even though all of them had prayed, no
answer was received. They repeated their prayers but again without result.
After the second failure, Martin Harris proposed that he should leave the
group, for he thought he was an obstacle to receiving the revelation. With the
consent of Joseph, he left.
The other three
knelt again to pray, and at that very moment they saw a light in the air above
them, and an angel stood before them. He had the plates in his hand, and he
slowly turned the pages before their eyes, so that they could see the
engraving on the plates. Then they heard a voice above them say, "These plates
have been informed by the power of God and they have been translated by the
power of God. The translation which you have seen is right, and I command you
to testify what you now are seeing and hearing." (Gordon B. Hinckley, Mitä on sanottava mormoneista?, p.
65)
The witnesses left. Regarding
the plates and eyewitnesses, the testimony of Joseph Smith mentions two
different groups of eyewitnesses who signed the testimony. First, there is the
account of the three men and then the account of eight men about seeing the
golden plates. Both of these groups got – according to their own statement –
to testify the revelation of God and one of the most remarkable events in
world history.
But were these men
very strong in their faith? Each one of the first three witnesses walked away,
although two of them returned later; this does not give a very convincing view
of the event. On top of this, three of the eight witnesses gave up the church
completely and never came back.
This again raises
questions; if the gold plates were real and were God's revelation, how could
the eyewitnesses sacrifice their own eternity and hope of salvation because of
some small contradictions? Shouldn't the eyewitnesses have had the greatest
faith in the matter? It is difficult to understand the apostasy and
indifference of the key witnesses if the gold plates were genuine and God's
revelation to all mankind as the Mormons themselves believe.
Style. Since
the Book of Mormon is supposed to have been written over the course of many
centuries and by separate writers (more than ten of them), the style of
several writers should also be seen in it, as is seen in the Bible. However,
we can see a problem: this is not the case. The Book of Mormon seems to be, in
its entirety, a text written by one and the same author. How is this possible
if it came from the pens of several individuals? What a great coincidence it
would be if ten different writers used the same style. Or could it be, as
proposed by critics, that the Book of Mormon was written by one author only?
This is highly probable.
Quotations from
the King James and the New Testament.
One of the peculiarities of the Book of Mormon is that it contains the same
wordings as in the King James Version of the Bible published in the 17th
century. It is estimated that the Book of Mormon would have about 25,000
words, which are the same as in the King James. In addition, it contains
verbatim quotations from the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel (Matthew 5-7
/ 3 Nephi, chapters 12-14) and a list of gifts written by Paul (1 Cor 12:8-11
/ Moroni 10:8-16).
This begs the
question, how could ancient writers in the Americas have used exactly the same
wording as appears in the English Bible translation that appeared centuries
later? How could they use the exact same wording as in the 17th century
English translation of the Bible? It should be impossible because the New
Testament did not come to America until more than 1000 years after these
people. The following quote tells more about the subject. It also mentions how
the Book of Mormon has been associated with such theological and practical
issues related to church life that were on the surface in 19th century
America.
People who have
studied the origins of the Book of Mormon have different opinions regarding
the sources from which the story frame of the book has been received. However,
one thing is sure: the most important source is the Bible. The Book of Mormon
contains many direct quotes from the Bible, and many accounts in the Bible are
found also in the Book of Mormon, only in a modified format. The Book of
Mormon translated by Joseph Smith contains quotes from the English language
Bible, the King James. It is interesting that men of ancient times, who are
claimed to have written on golden plates in Egyptian, used same expressions
that appear in the King James version hundreds of years later. (…)
In addition to
this, there are hundreds of verses in the Book of Mormon that are almost
direct quotes from the King James version that was in use in the beginning of
the 1600s. Joseph Smith has also incorporated into the book a whole host of
theological and practical matters of church life that were common in America
during the 19th Century. (4)
The Native Americans. As
stated at the beginning, the Book of Mormon tells the story of how the ancient
tribes of Israel migrated to America, multiplied there, and how Jesus, after
his death, appeared to them — establishing a church among them. The current
Native Americans living in modern America are believed to be descendants of
these ancient Israelites.
It is difficult to
find any evidence for this notion that appears in the Book of Mormon, however.
Firstly, all
anthropologists generally think that Native Americans are descendants of the
Mongol race, and they observe that Native Americans display no physical
features in common with the Semites. Everyone can see that Native Americans’
appearance is very different from the people of the Middle East.
In addition to
their appearance, their customs are very different from the customs of the
Jews. No archaeological findings support the existence of Jewish influences;
there are no ruins of synagogues, no religious artifacts associated with
Judaism (as found in Israel), and no physical indication that their social
interactions were influenced by the teachings of Jesus as described in the
Bible. If the claims of the Book of Mormon are true, shouldn’t the many
archaeologists who have devoted their lives to uncovering Native American
origins have found even a small evidence of such influence? Yet, no such
objects have been found. Why can't they be found? This suggests that the story
of the Book of Mormon has no historical basis.
Jesus in America.
One idea of the Book of Mormon is that Jesus preached in America after His
Resurrection and established a church there - which He did for it because He
did not want to reveal Himself in just one country, Israel.
We might ask why
God would have, in that case, disregarded Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia,
and chosen only America for His visit. And did Jesus Himself not say that He
was sent only to Israel and to preach only there? (The Doctrine and
Covenants that is composed mainly of the visions of Joseph Smith, also claims
that Adam did not live in the Middle East at all, like the Bible indicates,
but in America! Cf. 107:53 and 116:1.) Why would He have changed His own
words about this?
- (Matt 15:24) But he
answered and said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Another point worth
noting is that Christian history does not record the establishment of any
Christian churches by any other means than the labor of Christian
missionaries. Churches have always been started in this way, as prescribed by
God. Furthermore, Jesus gave to His disciples the task of preaching the Gospel
to all the nations and there are no references found in other sources that
suggest that He himself carried out such work after His resurrection. So, the
account in the Book of Mormon contradicts our understanding of how God works
in the world to establish His Church:
- (Mark 16:15) And he
said to them, Go you into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
Names of places.
When it comes to many places mentioned in the Bible, it has been found out in
several excavations and archaeological discoveries that they have existed. The
names of people mentioned in the Bible have also appeared in other,
non-biblical sources and stone tablets. It can honestly be said that
archeology and other research has repeatedly confirmed the historical accuracy
of the Bible.
The Book of
Mormon is different. In the regions where the people appearing in the Book of
Mormon should have lived, not a single place, lake, river or mountain name has
been found that even resembles the names of the places mentioned in this book,
although usually the names remain unchanged for millennia. And no remains of
any Christian churches have been found either, even though they should have
appeared based on the Book of Mormon. These types of facts are strong evidence
against the historicity of the Book of Mormon. The following quote tells more
about the subject and shows how weak the Book of Mormon is historically:
"No city in the Book
of Mormon has been located, and no person, place, nation, or name of the Book
of Mormon has ever been found, no object of the Book of Mormon, no text of the
Book of Mormon, no engravings of the Book of Mormon... Nothing has ever been
found to indicate that the Book of Mormon is anything other than a myth or a
made-up thing" (5)
2. The Pearl of Great Price
One of
the Mormons' holy books is the Pearl of Great Price, which consists of the
so-called book of Abraham, the translation of Matthew 24 (Did Smith, an
unlearned man, also know Greek?), and the so-called book of Moses, which
contains visions and dreams received by Smith.
As
for the so-called book of Abraham, the story of its origin is such that Smith
and his church got hold mummies found in Egypt, near the city of Theebe, which
were also accompanied by papyrus scrolls. When Smith then looked at these
scrolls, he found that they contained the handwriting of Father Abraham
himself! Of these scrolls owned by "Abraham," Smith himself later completed
the translation work and incorporated these writings into the Pearl of Great
Price as part of the Mormon scriptures.
But
just as there are numerous grievances found in the background and contents of
the Book of Mormon, there are also problems with the Book of Abraham. Among
them we can mention the following points:
The
discovery of Smith. The
fact alone that one and the same person (Joseph Smith) gets hold of the Urim and
the Thummim and a text written by Abraham himself, is a remarkable miracle.
What makes it miraculous is that only the High Priest in Israel had the Urim and
Thummim about 3,000 years ago, and Abraham lived 4,000 years ago, and nobody
else has found preserved writings by Abraham. This alleged discovery by Smith
ought to either be regarded as one of the most important in history, or as one
of the greatest deceits. Which is it? Most qualified researchers would
conclude it is deceit.
A
part of the Book of the Dead. The
second problem is connected with the contents of the scrolls. According to
Smith, Abraham wrote these scrolls, but later (they were found again in 1967)
it was noted that not a single word about Abraham was mentioned. Instead,
it has been observed that these scrolls included names of Egyptian idols and
were a part of the Egyptians' Book of the Dead – it was called the Book of
Breathings. The
purpose of this book was to give incantations to the deceased to protect them
on their journey to the hereafter. This book had nothing to do with Abraham.
There is also a problem
concerning the translation of the scrolls. In order to translate some Egyptian
symbols, Smith needed as many as over a hundred words! These examples indicate
that Smith, an uneducated man, did not possess the skills required, even
though he claimed otherwise. His translation is, therefore, not consistent
with the contents of the scrolls:
When
the text on the papyrus and the translation are more closely studied, we can
see that for translating a certain Egyptian symbol Joseph needed 76 English
words; for translating another symbol 177 words, and for another 130 words.
This information already arouses suspicions regarding the translation.
Nowadays, we know that Egyptian writing was mainly word writing. One symbol or
group of symbols corresponds to one word. Only a few abbreviations contain
more than the symbols in question separately. Generally, an Egyptian symbol or
group of symbols can be translated with a few words.
A
good example of the translation of Joseph Smith is an Egyptian symbolr, which
means a definite article. In order to translate this symbol, Joseph needed 59
words in English, of which two are proper nouns. Or yet another symbol that
means water and is a part of a word that means pond, for which Joseph needed
76 words. with nine proper nouns among them in his translation – but the
Egyptian symbol only consists four straight lines!
And
the whole group of symbols meaning pond requires 135 words in the English
language. In the Finnish translation, 95 words correspond to them! (6)
3. The priesthood of Aaron and Melchizedek
Mormons
believe that Joseph Smith plays an important role in the restoration of the
priesthood of Aaron and Melchizedek. As for the restoration of the priesthood
of Aaron, Mormons say that a messenger (whose “true” name was John the
Baptist) appeared to Smith and Oliver Cowdery and told them about the
restoration of Aaron’s priesthood. The messenger told them:
For
you, my fellow servants, I give in the name of the Messiah, the priesthood of
Aaron that includes service of angels and Gospel of repentance and keys to the
forgiveness of sins which takes place in water baptism; and it will never be
taken away from Earth, so that the sons of Levi can finally sacrifice an
offering again to the Lord in righteousness." (Profeetta Joseph Smithin todistus,
p. 19)
The
restoration of the priesthood of Melchizedek took place a little later when
Smith and Cowdery were walking along the shore of the Susquehanna River.
Peter, Jacob, and John appeared to them and gave them the keys of the
priesthood of Melchizedek —representing authority -- and set them to be
"apostles and special witnesses".
However, does the Bible support these actions related to re-establishment of
the priesthood as told by Mormon Church leaders, or does the Bible teach them
in a totally different way? We shall study this issue in light of the
following examples:
The
descendant of Levi. In
order for a person to enter into the priesthood of Levi, he had to be a native
Jew, because historically only those people who belonged to the tribe of Levi
were qualified to serve as priests. How many current members of the Mormon
Church belong to this family? Is it not true that very few of them have a
background like this? Therefore, the failure to meet the first requirement
– family lineage – suggests that Mormons cannot enter into the priesthood of
Aaron:
- (Hebr 7:5) And
truly they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the
priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the
law, that is, of their brothers, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
The
ceremonial offerings. Another
prerequisite for Levitical priesthood is that Mormons make ceremonial
offerings in accordance with requirements recorded in the Pentateuch. However,
the Mormon Church has failed to observe these practices up until now. This
also suggests that their priesthood does not meet the conditions set out for
the true priesthood.
- (Hebr 10:10,11) By
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
11 And
every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
The
priesthood ended. When
Christ came, the thing that happened was that the Aaronic priesthood
disappeared with Him. It disappeared because he brought the new Covenant and
the sacrifices ceased to be valid. Therefore, to continue to hold on to the
Aaronic priesthood would be a return to the old covenant, which is no longer
in force. It would also eliminate the significance of the atonement of Jesus
because He took away our sins completely through His work:
- (Hebr 7:11,12,18) If
therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the
people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest
should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and
not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For
the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the
law.
18 For
there is truly a cancellation of the commandment going before for the
weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
- (Hebr 8:13) In
that he said, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which
decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away.
- (Hebr 10:12) But
this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on
the right hand of God;
No
different degrees.
If we presume that the priesthood of Aaron prevailed during the early church
and there were different degrees within the priesthood (deacon at the age of
twelve, teacher at the age of fourteen, and priest at the age of sixteen),
surely it would have been mentioned in the Bible. Likewise, if members of the
early church had held the Melchizedek Priesthood, it would certainly have been
mentioned.
However, if we study the Bible, it does not talk about these things, but only
speaks of the general priesthood that comes to the part of everyone who
receives Christ:
- (1
Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy
nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who
has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
- (Rev
1:5-6) And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And
has made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Christ is the only high priest after the order of Melchizedek. As
for the Melchizedek Priesthood, the New Testament clearly says it applies only
to Christ, who is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. This leads
to the fact that we ordinary people today cannot own it. This certainly also
applies to Mormons who believe they own it.
- (Hebr 5:5,6,10) So
also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high
priest; but he that said to him, You are my Son, to day have
I begotten you.
6 As he
said also in another place, You are
a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
10 Called
of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
- (Hebr 6:20) Where
the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
4. Polygamy
Polygamy has also appeared in the history of the Mormon Church. Nowadays, it
is not allowed. It was forbidden in the late 1800s because of the pressure of
society, but originally it had a significant place in the church. For example,
Prophet Smith himself was very greedy for wives. It is known that he had at
least 27 wives; estimates by some suggest that he had almost 60 wives. Smith
also got a revelation concerning this matter on 12 July 1843 that confirmed
that he was on the "right" way. Other leaders of the church had several wives
in those days. The successor of Smith, Brigham Young, probably had about
twenty wives.
What
is interesting about this polygamous activity is that it goes against the
teachings of both the Book of Mormon and the Holy Bible:
-The
Book of Mormon that Mormons regard as their holy book does not support
polygamy at all.
On
the contrary, the book condemns it, as indicated in the following excerpts.
The understanding of the Mormons’ first leaders regarding their own holy
book and this matter must have been very defective:
Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For
there shall not any man among
you have save it be one wife ;
and concubines he shall have none; (Jacob 2:27)
Behold,
the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the
cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for
they have not forgotten the
commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have
save it were one wife,
and concubines they
should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed
among them. (Jacob 3:5)
If we
look at the teachings of the New Testament, we find that they are clearly
different from the revelations Smith received. Even though we can see that
during the Old Covenant some men had several wives, polygamy is not the
original will of God. Instead, each man should have just one wife – like Adam
and Eve. Both Jesus and the Apostles also confirmed this:
- (Matt
19:4-6) And he answered and said to them, Have you
not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And
said, For this cause shall a man leave father and
mother, and shall join to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh?
6 Why
they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together,
let not man put asunder.
- (1
Cor 7:1-3) Now concerning the things whereof you wrote to me: It is good for a
man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless,
to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband.
3 Let
the husband render to the wife due benevolence: and likewise also
the wife to the husband.
In
addition, we can see that according to the New Testament, servants and leaders
of the congregation should be men with only one wife. So, the Mormons’ view on
polygamy is in conflict with this idea:
- (1
Tim 3:2,12) A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
12 Let the
deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their children and their own houses well.
- (Tit 1:5-7) For
this cause left I you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that
are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:
6 If
any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not
accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a
bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon
angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre
On the
same occasion when Joseph Smith received a revelation about polygamy, he also
received a revelation about heavenly marriage – a practice that is still
observed, while polygamy is no longer practiced.
There are still ceremonies in Mormon temples in which "lovers" are married to
heavenly, eternal marriage. In addition, it is believed that these marriages
have positive consequences. Firstly, if a person has gone through this wedding
ceremony, he/she will get descendants and reproduce eternally, and secondly it
will raise the status of the person; he/she can even become God. At least,
this is what the Mormons believe. Joseph Smith explained this in the following
way:
Unless
a man and his wife step into eternal marriage and are married for eternity in
this trial period through the power and authority of the holy priesthood, they
will stop multiplying after their death. In other words, they will not get any
children after resurrection. But those who have been married in this life,
through the power and authority of the holy priesthood and live without
sinning against the Holy Spirit will continually multiply and get children in
celestial brightness. - D.H.C. 5:391 (Joseph Fielding Smith Senior, Tie täydellisyyteen,
p. 193)
What
does the Bible say? The
thought of eternal marriage, which the Mormons teach, is certainly a beautiful
one, especially if spouses love each other. (But what if they no longer
love each other?) The only problem is that the Bible does not say anything
about it. Jesus did not mention anything about it; neither did the Apostles
write about it in their letters. If
it were true, surely it would have been mentioned, but it was not mentioned,
just as the wedding in the temple was not mentioned. As we know, the Bible
does not say anything about these matters.
Instead, we find quite another picture of heavenly existence drawn by Jesus.
He taught us that our present family relationships – marriages and children –
will no longer exist; people will live like the angels in heaven:
- (Matt
22:29-30) Jesus answered and said to them, You do
err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For
in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as
the angels of God in heaven.
6. Baptism for the dead
Baptism
for the dead is another important ceremony performed in Mormon temples, in
addition to eternal marriage ceremonies. It is based on the Mormon view that
repentance is still possible after death while baptism is possible only in
this lifetime; for this reason, substitution baptisms are needed and are
performed by those people living on Earth. This stance has been justified by a
few passages pulled from the First Letter of Peter:
- (1
Peter 3:18-20) For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit:
19 By
which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison;
20
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight
souls were saved by water.
- (1
Peter 4:6) For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead,
that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to
God in the spirit.
It has
also been supported with a brief mention in the Letter to the Corinthians, in
which Paul writes:
- (1
Cor 15:29) Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the
dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?
As for
the above-mentioned Mormon teaching about baptism for the dead, we can find
several clear contradictions including these:
- If
baptism for the dead was important as is thought, certainly the Bible would
have spoken much about it and urged to it (the same problem also goes to
other teachings of the Mormons). However, nothing like this can be found
in the Bible. Instead, there is only one reference in which Paul briefly
touches on the subject. However, Paul does not write about “us” – about
himself and the congregation. He writes about “them” – strangers who practiced
it. Baptism for the dead was surely not commonly practiced by members of the
congregation.
- When
considering the view of Mormons that repentance is still possible after death,
we find that the Bible teaches that a man is able to be saved only in this
lifetime. After death we will be judged, we are not offered a new way to
receive salvation. The view of the Mormons reflects the Catholic doctrine of
purgatory in which people are still offered salvation after death. This is not
taught in the Bible.
- (Hebr 9:27) And
as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment:
- When
considering these verses in the First Letter of Peter as justification for
preaching to the dead, one should note that the verbs in these verses are
written in the past tense. They say nothing about it being an ongoing
practice. Nor do they say that it applies to those who die today. These verses
may not be related to modern times at all.
-
Another view held by members of the Mormon Church is that the Apostles --
Peter, Paul, and all the others -- preached the Gospel in the spiritual world
after their deaths.
Is
this supported by anything found in the Bible? Consider Paul. Did he not write
that he would go directly to God after his death? He did not believe that he
would be going to some temporary state or that he would start preaching again.
He believed that he would go directly to God:
- (2
Cor 5:8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the
body, and to be present with the Lord.
- (Phil
1:23) For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be
with Christ; which is far better:
- (2
Tim 4:5-8) But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.
6 For I
am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I
have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith:
8 From
now on there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all
them also that love his appearing.
7. The connection with Freemasonry
Mormon
temple worship, including eternal marriage, and baptism for the dead, have
been addressed in earlier chapters. However, Mormon temple worship also has
connections to Freemasonry. Joseph Smith was himself a high-level Freemason.
Likewise, almost the entire Mormon church at the time belonged to this
organization. The basis of Mormonism, then, lies very much in the occult
Freemason organization.
Below we are going to list a few such things in which the connection between
Freemasonry and Mormonism manifests itself. It is estimated that there are
almost 30 points where these links occur. The most common of them are the
following:
-
Secret ceremonies are carried out in secret temples in both of the movements.
- The
temple ceremonies of the Mormons were initially carried out in Freemasons’
buildings.
-
Oaths. Mormons and Freemasons take various oaths. In the past, the wording of
these oaths was almost identical. In addition, there is a gesture made with
the thumb that is used by both of the movements; it resembles the cutting of a
throat. Its purpose is to promise not to reveal secrets to anybody at the risk
of losing one’s own life.
-
Secret handshakes.
- In
both systems, people are given a new name kept secret from outsiders.
- Both
Mormons and Freemasons wear an apron during their ceremonies.
-
Mormons have a certain undergarment that carries the distinctive symbols of
Freemasonry.
If we
consider the Mormons' view on God, we can see that it differs a great deal
from the normal Christian view. If we study this issue in the light of the
following examples, we can clearly see that Mormons are actually polytheists.
MORMONS
HAVE MANY GODS
In the
beginning, the main God of Gods called together the Council of Gods, and they
gathered together and developed a plan for creating and populating the world –
in all occasions in which I have spoken about God, I have taught polytheism.
(Joseph Smith, History of the Church, part VI, pages 308, 474; translated
from the Finnish text).
A time
to come in which nothing shall
be withheld, whether there be one God
or many gods ,
they shall be manifest. …. According to that which was ordained in
the midst of the Council of
the Eternal God of
all other gods before this world was,
that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof, when every man
shall enter into his eternal presence and
into his immortal rest.
(The Doctrine and Covenants 121:28 32. The revelation of Smith 20 March
1839 in Liberty Jail, Clay County, Missouri)
In
heaven where our spirits have been born, there are many Gods who each have
their own wife or wives who have been given to them before their redemption
when they still were in a mortal state. (Orson Pratt / The Seer I, 37.
EA. 13) Translated from the Finnish text
“Is
there more than one God?" The answer is, “Yes, many.”(Catechism
for Children, p.. 13, WEB. 32). Translated from the Finnish text
The
examples above about the writings of Mormons indicate very clearly that
Mormons believe in many gods. These
people are so supporters of polytheism – an issue that some Mormons do not
necessarily even know in the beginning.
Instead, if we look at the Bible, it speaks about there being only one God and
no others besides Him:
- (Deut 4:35)
To you it was showed, that you might know that the LORD he is God; there
is none else beside him.
- (Deut 32:39)
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I
kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can
deliver out of my hand.
- (Isa
44:6) Thus said the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of
hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
- (Isa
45:5-6) I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:
I girded you, though you have not known me:
6 That
they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is
none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
- (Isa
46:9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none
else; I am God, and there is none like me
- (1
Tim 1:17) Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise
God, be honor and glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
In
addition, it should be noted that also the Book of Mormon speaks about one God
only. The teachings and revelations of Smith and other leaders thus go against
their own holy book:
And Zeezrom said
unto him, Thou sayest there
is a true and living God? And Amulek said, Yea, there is a true and living
God. Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
And he answered, No. (Alma 11:26- 29).
GOD WAS
ONCE A MAN
"God
himself was once as we are now, and he is now an exalted man - I say to you,
that if you saw him in the form of a man - such as you are, in all mind and
form he is like a man - He was once a man as we are; God, the Father of us
all, really lived on Earth." (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, VI part, p.
305.). Translated from the Finnish text.
"What
man is like now, God once was like, what God is like now, man can become
like." (James Talmage: Articles of faith, p.430). Translated from the
Finnish text.
The God
of the Mormons was once a man as we are now.
The
Bible, instead, says that God has never been a man, and that He has been the
same God from eternity to eternity:
- (Rom
1:22,23,25) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And
changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts,
and creeping things.
25 Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature
more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
- (Ps
90:2) Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the
earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
- (Ps
102:25-27) Of old have you laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens
are the work of your hands.
26 They
shall perish, but you shall endure: yes, all of them shall wax old like a
garment; as a clothing shall you change them, and they shall be changed:
27 But
you are the same, and your years shall have no end.
- (Hebr 13:8) Jesus
Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for
ever.
- (Hos 11:9)
I will not execute the fierceness of my anger, I will not return to destroy
Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the middle of you:
and I will not enter into the city.
- (Num 23:19) God
is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he
should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? or has he spoken, and
shall he not make it good?
ADAM IS
GOD
When
Adam came to the paradise of Eden, he came there in a heavenly body and
brought with him Eve, one of his wives. He helped in making and arranging this
world. He is our Father and God and only god whom we deal with. (A statement
by the second president of Society, Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses VI,
50. EA. / 13. WEB.33, EHK.381). Translated from the Finnish text.
The
statement by the second president of Mormon Society, Brigham Young, says that
Adam is the God with whom they are in connection.
The
Bible, however, tells us how the God of Heavens himself created Adam:
- (Gen
1:27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them.
- (Acts
17:24-26) God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that
he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands;
25
Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And
has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of
the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of
their habitation;
THE
FATHER GOD HAS A BODY
"The Father has
a body of
flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also..." (The Doctrine and
Covenants: 130:22 the revelation of Smith 2.4.1843).
The
Doctrine and Covenants reveals a revelation of Joseph Smith according to which
the God our Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as our bodies.
The
Bible, on the other hand, points out that God is the Spirit:
- (John
4:24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth.
- (2
Cor 3:17) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty.
GOD HAS
A WIFE OR WIVES
In
Heaven where our spirits were born, there are many Gods, each of whom have
their own wife or wives who have been given to them before their redemption
when they were still in a mortal state." (Orson Pratt / The Seer I, 37.
EA. 13) Translated from the Finnish text
The
Mormons have lowered God almost to the level of a man; each of their gods has
also his own wife.
However, the Bible speaks nothing about the wives of God in a physical way.
MAN CAN
BECOME A GOD
"… and
they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and
glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall
be a fullness and a continuation of the seeds forever
and ever. …..Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore
shall they be from everlasting to
everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all
things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods ,
because they have all power,
and the angels are subject unto them. (The Doctrine and Covenants: 132:19,20.
The revelation of Smith, 12 July 1843).
Those
who have obeyed the laws of the Gospel, received Holy Spirit, got priesthood
and held it in the honour and lived righteously, can enter the heavenly
brightness. There they will have thrones, power to rule, and endlessly
multiply; they will be Gods who create and rule the worlds and populate those
with their descendants (Manual 1901-1902, I, 52, WEB. 365.)
The
Mormons believe in many gods but they have even taken this a step further and
believe that men, too, can develop into gods who create and rule worlds and
populate them with their descendants. However, the Bible teaches us that
no-one can ever become God:
- (Isa
43:10-11) You are my witnesses, said the LORD, and my servant whom I have
chosen: that you may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before
me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I,
even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no savior.
- (Eze 28:2)
Son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus said the Lord GOD; Because your
heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of
God, in the middle of the seas; yet you are a man, and not God, though
you set your heart as the heart of God:
- (Acts
12:21- 24) And on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his
throne, and made an oration to them.
22 And
the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of
a god, and not of a man.
23 And
immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the
glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24 But
the word of God grew and multiplied.
JESUS
AND SATAN ARE BROTHERS
Another
aspect of the peculiar Mormon view of God is that Jesus and Satan were
brothers.
"Before
Jesus was named the Savior of the world, He fought
for this position with another son of God. This other son was Lucifer – the
spirit brother of Jesus who desperately tried to become the Savior of
mankind." (Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p.15). Translated
from the Finnish text.
In the
Bible, however, we are instructed many times, very clearly and with great
emphasis, that Jesus is the one and only Son of God and that He is Himself
God. So this tenet of the Mormons yet again
contradicts the Biblical message:
- (1
John 4:9-10) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God
sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live
through him.
10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins.
- (John
1:1,14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God.
14 And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth.
- (John
1:18) No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
- (John
3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
JESUS
WAS NOT CONCEIVED FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
Brigham
Young, the second president of Society, taught that Jesus was not conceived
from the Holy Spirit.
When
virgin Mary gave birth to baby Jesus, the Father had conceived Him as His
kind. He was not conceived from the Holy Spirit. And who was the Father? He
was the first of mankind; and when He took a (human body) abode, it was
conceived from His Father in Heaven in the same way as Cain, Abel, and other
sons and daughters of Adam and Eve." (Journal of Discourses, I, 50.
WEB. 34. EHK.381, a statement of Brigham Young). Translated from the
Finnish text.
However, if we look at the Bible, we see that it teaches exactly the opposite:
- (Matt
1:20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD
appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take
to you Mary your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost.
- (Luke
1:34- 35) Then said Mary to the angel, How shall
this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And
the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and
the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also
that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.
JESUS WAS MARRIED
Another
peculiar view that the Mormons have is that Jesus had wives.
Let us
now study the question of the wives of Jesus: there were several holy women
who greatly loved Jesus, and when He rose from the dead, He first appeared to
these women or at least to one of them, namely Mary Magdalene. It is quite
natural for a husband in resurrection first to appear to his own dearest
wives." (Orson Pratt, The Seer I, 159. WEB.35). Translated from
Finnish text.
Jesus
was a bridegroom (fiancé) in the wedding at Cana in Galilee – we claim that
Jesus Christ was married, so that He would see his seed. (Orson Hyde,
apostle, Journal of Discourses, part II, p.82). Translated from the
Finnish text.
However, the Bible does not speak about the marriage of Jesus. Furthermore, in
the wedding at Cana, Jesus was only a guest:
- (John
2:1-2) And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the
mother of Jesus was there:
2 And
both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
9. Was Joseph Smith a prophet of God?
Mormons believe that
Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, of course. They may regard him as the most
important man on Earth after Jesus.
However, if we
look at the life and teachings of Joseph Smith, we find several reasons to
believe that he was wrong and a false prophet. This can be proven in the light
of the following:
Deceased spirits. Firstly,
Smith was repeatedly dealing with spirits of the dead that pretended to be
John the Baptist, Jacob, John, Moses, or Elijah. They
gave him the priesthood of Aaron and Melchizedek and various revelations.
However, we are
clearly warned never to deal with spirits of the dead. The Bible warns us
about dealing with deceased spirits that are, as a matter of fact, evil
spirits. Even if these spirits were to appear as apostles and good spirits,
there is reason to believe that they are evil spirits. The Apostles of God
would certainly not break His commandments, nor would they start giving new
instructions. Instead, the deceased and seer spirits – in other words evil
spirits with whom Smith must have been communicating – would
do such things:
- (Lev 19:31) Regard
not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be
defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
- (Deut 18:10-12) There
shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to
pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an
enchanter, or a witch.
11 Or a charmer, or
a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do
these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations
the LORD your God does drive them out from before you.
Doctrine. The
teachings of Joseph Smith differ from the ordinary teachings of
Christianity, which means that he has numerous teachings that have nothing to
do with the Bible (polytheism, etc.). We have already proven this in the
earlier chapters. One reason probably is that he was in communication with the
above-mentioned evil spirits and angels, from whom he got his new teachings.
One characteristic of false prophets is just that they teach doctrines which
differ from the word of God and receive revelations from angels, who are not
serving God:
- (Gal 1:8-9) But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than
that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before,
so say I now again, if any man preach any other
gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed.
- (2 Peter 2:1) But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be
false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring on themselves swift
destruction.
- (1 John
4:1) Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they
are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
The life of Smith. By
studying the life of Joseph Smith, we come to understand that he could not
have in any way served as a model of godly servant for others. Towards the end
of his life, he shot two men in a firefight. Likewise, he was in such a bad
reputation in the Palmyra, New York area that in 1834 62 inhabitants of this
city signed a petition, in which they complained about the immoral behavior of
his family and stated that his family should no longer enjoy the appreciation
of society anywhere.
Further, Smith's
character is illustrated by the statement he uttered about himself. Has any
prophet of God ever spoken like this? This statement clearly shows Smith’s
pride and how much he valued himself:
I have more reasons
to boast than anyone ever. I am the only man who has ever been able to keep
the whole church together since the times of Adam. Most have stood by my side.
Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus were able to do it. I boast that nobody
has ever done such great work as I have done. The successors of Jesus left
him, but the Latter-day Saints have never left me. (Joseph Smith, History
of the Church, part VI. p.408-409). Translated from the Finnish text.
The unfulfilled
prophecies. Joseph
Smith is called a prophet, but it is a rather questionable term for him. If we
read his prophecies, we see that his skills of foreseeing future events were
not in any way very accurate. For example, Uuras Saarnivaara described
in his book how Smith gave false prophecies on several occasions:
According to what
standards can Joseph Smith be tested?
The first one is
this: Were his prophecies fulfilled?
We have seen that
this usually was not the case.
Smith declared
that the Mormon saints could get a region called Indepence in
Jackson County, Missouri, "for everlasting inheritance" (the Doctrine and
Covenants 57:5). However, they only got to be there for a few years. Smith
predicted that wars would appear that would start in South Carolina and be
shed over all nations (the Doctrine and Covenants 87:1-4). This prophecy did
not come true. The civil war, caused by the question of slavery started indeed
thirty years later, but the outcome differed a great deal from the prophecy of
Joseph Smith.
Smith prophesied
in 1833 that Zion (in Missouri) will not shake in its grounds even though its
members will be scattered by harassment of its enemies, and that those who
remain – the ones pure at heart – will return and build the ruins of Zion (the
Doctrine and Covenants 101:17). This never happened but "Zion" was forced to
be moved elsewhere.
In 1834, Smith
predicted that the Mormons would immediately start gaining a victory over
their enemies and that the scattered would return to their land of inheritance
and build the ruins of Zion (the Doctrine and Covenants 103:5 13). This never
took place. The Mormons lost and were forced to leave the land of "Zion".
Smith announced in
1836 that Moses appeared to him and Cowdery, and left them the keys for the
gathering of Israel from four parts of the world and for the leading of
ten tribes from the Northern country (the Doctrine and Covenants
110:11). Cowdery was expelled from the Mormon Church and Smith lost his life
without having anything to do with the gathering of Israel. This took place
much later, without any help from the Mormons.
The same year,
Smith announced that the Lord will give the town of Salem into the hands of
the Mormons and that there will be treasures of gold and silver in ample
measure for them (the Doctrine and Covenants 111). Nothing of the kind took
place.
Smith received a
revelation in Nauvoo in 1841 that in a house that will be built there will be
a place for him and his descendants from generation to generation forever and
ever (the Doctrine and Covenants 124:55 60). Partnerships were also promised
to some others in the same house, "from generation to generation". However,
they were only allowed to be there for a few years, Smith himself only a very
short period.
These were examples
of how the prophecies of Smith, time after time, remained unfulfilled. Some of
the things he predicted may also have come true: when someone predicts a lot,
sometimes he will accidentally hit the nail on the head. (7)
Islamic prophet
Muhammad and Joseph Smith. One
peculiar aspect about Joseph Smith’s experiences is that they resemble the
experiences of Muhammad, an Islamic prophet. We are going to look at a few of
those aspects here:
• Both were called
prophets, but the way they lived does not attest to
them having been prophets of God. Smith had several wives and he
shot people in battle during his later years. Similarly, Muhammad had
several wives and killed other people.
- (1 John 4:1)
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
- (Matt 7:15,16)
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 You shall know
them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
• Both left a
spiritual book for later generations. Joseph Smith left the Book of Mormon and
also other works, whereas Muhammad gave the Qur’an “through the angel
Gabriel”. In the case of Muhammad, we can be certain that it cannot have been
the same angel of God that appeared in the Bible, because the Qur’an’s
teaching differs so much with the Bible:
Say O Muhammad:
"Whoever is the enemy of Jibra'el (Gabriel)
should know that he revealed this Qur'an to your heart by Allah’s
command, which confirms previous scriptures, and is a guidance and good news
for the believers. Let
them know that whoever is an enemy to Allah, His angels, His Messengers, Jibra'el (Gabriel)
and Mika‘el (Michael);
Allah is an enemy to such unbelievers. (2:97,98)
• Most religious
movements have almost always originated through some new revelation. Either an
"angel" or a person posing as the deceased appears to people. E.g. many
religious movements in Japan have originated through this, but Mormonism and
Islam are also similar movements. An angel posing as Gabriel appeared to
Muhammad, whereas dead spirits posing as the disciples appeared to Joseph
Smith:
- (Gal 1:8) But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that
which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
- (Col 2:18) Let no
man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of
angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshly mind,
- (2 Cor 11:13,14)
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for
Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• Smith’s personal
testimony tells how he met a “heavenly messenger” once every year (p. 14)
before receiving the plates:
“According to the
command I had gotten, I came every year and every time I met the same
messenger there”
Muhammad also met his
regular messenger once every year:
Gabriel used to
recite the Koran once a year; this took place twice during the year he died
(Muslim, Book 31, no. 6005).
• Joseph Smith’s
testimony (p. 3) tells directly how Smith was taken over by a spirit right
before receiving his first vision. It was because of this that he became mute
and a power took over him. It is exactly the same as how the Bible describes
bad spirits and demons to operate:
"I had scarcely done
so when I was immediately attacked by some force which overwhelmed me, and
which had such a surprising effect on me that it chained my tongue so that I
could not speak. Dark darkness thickened around me, and for a moment I thought
I had been doomed to a sudden destruction. "
- (Matt 9:32) As they
went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
- (Mark 9:17,18) And
one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought to you my son, which
has a dumb spirit;
18 And wherever
he takes him, he tears him: and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth,
and pines away: and I spoke to your disciples that they should cast him out;
and they could not.
It is certainly very
questionable to trust such a revelation where the person, namely Joseph Smith,
has just moments before been possessed by a dumb spirit. How reliable would
Mormons consider such a teaching from someone else who has just been possessed
by an evil spirit, but who receives a revelation on the basis of which a new
religious movement is born (this is how Mormonism was born)? They would
certainly be skeptical about it.
What about
Muhammad, the prophet of Islam? It is interesting to note that he too had
almost the same experience as Smith. Muhammad even feared that he was
possessed by the devil until the "angel Gabriel" appeared to him. Moroni
appeared to Smith:
At first, Muhammad
was very restless about his supernatural meeting with the spirit. He “suffered
a lot of pain and his face became ashen” (8). He wondered whether he was
possessed by the devil, and he even contemplated suicide:
I will go to the top
of the mountain and throw myself down so that I would die and thus get peace. So I
went ahead with it but when I was halfway up the mountain, I heard a voice
from heaven saying, “O Muhammad. You are an apostle of God and I am Gabriel.”
I raised my head to the skies to see (who was talking) and behold, it was
Gabriel in the form of a man – a man whose legs spread beyond the horizon. And
he said, ”O Muhammad. You are an apostle of God and
I am Gabriel.” (9)
• In the case of
Prophet Muhammad, he received revelations that guaranteed the fulfillment of
his desires. Chapter 33 of the Qur'an deals with a couple of such cases. In
one of them, Allah gave him permission to marry his adopted son's wife,
Zainab. He had met his daughter-in-law almost naked and it aroused his desire.
Another passage
in the same chapter tells how Allah gave Muhammad permission to take more
wives than other Muslim men, who were only allowed to have four wives. As a
result, Muhammad had more wives than other Muslim men. According to tradition,
Muhammad’s youngest wife is said to have once bitterly scoffed: “your Lord
makes haste to satisfy your needs!” This statement is believed to be
associated with Muhammad receiving an announcement to take more wives. Aisha
felt that Muhammad received suitable revelations to justify his actions.
O Prophet, remember
when you said to the one (Zaid, Prophet's adopted son) whom Allah as
well as you had favored: "Keep your wife in wedlock and fear Allah." You
sought to hide in your heart what Allah intended to reveal; you were afraid of
the people whereas it would have been more appropriate to fear Allah. So when
Zaid divorced his wife, We gave her to you in marriage, so that there remains
no hindrance for the believers to wed the wives of their adopted sons if they
divorced them. And
Allah’s Command had to be carried out. There can be no blame attached
to the Prophet for doing what is sanctioned for him by Allah. Such has been
the way of Allah with those who have gone before; and the decrees of Allah are
preordained. Those who are charged with the mission of conveying the
message of Allah are to fear Him, they are supposed to fear none but Allah;
for Allah is sufficient to settle their account. Muhammad is not the
father of any of your men (he is not going to leave any male heirs). He
is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. Allah has the
knowledge of all things. (33:37-40)
O Prophet! We have
made lawful to you the wives to whom you have given their dowers; and those
ladies whom your right hands possess (from the prisoners of war) whom
Allah has assigned to you; and the daughters of your paternal uncles and
aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and aunts, who have migrated
with you; and the believing woman who gave herself to the Prophet if the
Prophet desires to marry her - this permission is only for you and not for
the other believers; We know what restrictions We have imposed on the
other believers concerning their wives and those whom their right hands
possess. We
have granted you this privilege as an exception so
that no blame may be attached to you. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
(33:50)
What about prophet
Joseph Smith? When Muhammad received announcements about his wives, and they
were made into chapters in the Qur’an, the same can be said about Joseph
Smith. He, too, received a permission through announcements to take multiple
wives, but his wife Emma didn't like it. In the revelation about polygamy,
Joseph's wife Emma receives a command from God to accept the new wives:
Verily, I say unto
you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith…And let mine
handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been given unto my servant
Joseph (The Doctrine and Covenants 132:51,52)
Both Joseph Smith and
Muhammad were proud. This can be seen in their statements. Whereas, Paul’s
journey was the kind, where he first considered himself as the cheapest of the
apostles, then cheapest of the holy, and in the end greatest of the sinners.
His mindset went through a constant change and his growth was the opposite to
Muhammad and Joseph Smith. Paul also wrote (Phil 2:3): Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves. Similarly, the Bible also says (James 4:6) that “God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.".
Al Hadis, vol 4. p.
323 as told by Abbas. “The holy prophet got onto the pulpit and asked his
listeners, Who am I? They replied, You are
the messenger of Allah. Muhammad replied, I am Muhammad, son of Abdullah, the
son of Abdullah Muttalib. Allah made his creations
and made me the best of them. He divided them into two groups and placed me in
the best of the two. Then He divided them into tribes and made my tribe the
best. Then He divided them into families and put me in the best one. I am the
best family member and my family is the best family.
Sahih Muslim. Book
004, no. 1062,1063,1066 and 1067. As told by Abu Huraira: The emissary of
Allah said, I have been made supreme over other prophets in six venerable
issues (respect): I have been given words that are understandable and
versatile if brief; I have been assisted with terror in the hearts of
adversaries, pillages have been made legal to me, the land has been made pure
for me and a place of worship, I have been sent to all people and the chain of
prophets is locked in me.
I have more
reasons to boast than anyone ever. I am the only man who has ever been able to
keep the whole church together since the times of Adam.
Most have stood by my side. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus were able
to do it. I boast that nobody has ever done such great work as I have
done. The successors of Jesus left him, but the Latter-day Saints have never
left me. (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, part VI. p.408-409). Translated
from the Finnish text.
REFERENCES:
1.
Saarnivaara, Uuras: Mormonit, s. 14.
2. Sama, s. 152.
3. Sama, s.
147,148.
4. Hannu Nyman:
Toisenlainen evankeliumi, s. 128
5.
John Ankerberg & John Weldon: The Facts on the Mormon Church.
Eugene,
Ore.: Harvest House 1991, 30.
6. Maljanen,
Pentti: Pääsin irti mormoneista, s. 20.
7.
Saarnivaara, Uuras: Mormonit, s.156-158.
8. Ibn Sa’d,
vol. l. 489
9. Ibn Ishaq,
106
More on this topic:
About salvation. How do Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses understand salvation, and how their
teaching differs from traditional Christian and biblical teaching?
Religiousness or faith. What is the difference between religiosity and saving faith in Jesus and
God? They are not the same thing
Are you a foolish virgin? It is possible to be a member of the church and attend church, but
still be a foolish virgin, or unsaved person. What are the characteristics
of such religiosity?
Theoretical belief. Many have faith in God, having outward forms of Christianity, and some are even
church workers, but they still do not know the matter of salvation
