The Mormons

To begin with, let's watch a video. Sounds pretty innocuous right? But did you notice anything that seemed a little...off? Maybe raised a red flag or two? Hopefully, you did. If not, we'll try to work some of that out.

First, some background information: Mormonism was founded in 1820 in New York when Joseph Smith had a vision of God and Jesus and they told him that all the other Christian Sects were wrong and an abomination in his sight. When Smith turned 18, he had another vision that told him about some gold plates and then at 21 he was told in a vision where to find them.

Having found them, he translated the plates into English from 'Egyptian hieroglyphics". In 1830, the Book of Mormon was published. The book of Mormon serves as their main source of scripture, and they view it to be of greater importance than the Bible. The believe it is a record of two ancient people groups who lived in North America and had highly advanced civilizations that were eventually destroyed. The only records left were the golden plates that Smith found. Jesus supposedly appeared to these people after he was resurrected. That's why they are sometimes called Latter-Day Saints, since Jesus came over here, you know. Later.

Some interesting facts about Mormonism:

1. Originally advocated polygamy. Smith himself had over 30 wives

2. No longer advocates polygamy. The newer editions of the Book of Mormon have revised or removed their stance on multiple wives.

3. God has/ had multiple wives in heaven. He had physical sex with Mary. (Maybe that should be 4.)

4. He had physical sex with Mary.

5. Jesus married Mary and Martha and had kids by each.

6. The dead can be baptized into Mormonism by proxy. That's why they have such good genealogical records, so they can save all their ancestors from hell.

7. The Trinity are different gods. Because there are multiple Gods.

8. Jesus is the first-born spirit child of God and a heavenly mother.

a. He's our elder brother

b. He's Lucifer's brother

9. Salvation is by faith plus works in the Mormon church

10. Everyone goes to 1 of 3 places.Hell, heaven and Highest Heaven. The best of the best go to the Highest Heaven, where they get to be gods and have their own planet.

11. After high School, most of the boys go on 2 year mission trip.

That is bare-bones Mormonism 101. If you compare everything they believe compared to Biblical Christianity, it is starkly different. Everything from their stance on the Trinity, the Bible to salvation, it all differs radically from what we would call 'orthodox' Christianity.

A couple of questions that you could pose to a Mormon:

Why do Mormons claim that there are many gods and that men can be gods when the Bible says there is only one God?

If Jesus was conceived of a physical union, how was he born of a virgin?