Mormon Deity?
By Pat Madsen

Dear Family and Friends,

2006! Just a minute ago, we were wondering what the turn of the century would bring! And, here we are more than half was through the first decade!

James 4:14 remind us: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanish away.”

Eternity is right around the corner for many of us. The questions beg, “Are you prepared for eternity?” And, “Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

Brigham Young challenged his followers:

“Take up the Bible, compare the religion of the Latter-day-Saints with it, and see if it will stand the test. .”

Journal of Discourses, vol 16, p 46

And Brigham Young, Discourse delivered in the Ogden Tabernacle on May 1

Brigham Young challenged the comparison of the LDS religion with the Bible, yet was quoted in Michael, Our Father and Our God, by Joseph W. Musser, p 20, citing Deseret Weekly News 26:274

In my doctrinal teachings. . . I have never looked into the Bible, the Book of Mormon, or the Doctrine and Covenants. . . . to see whether they agreed with them or not. . . . When I have spoken it is scripture. . .

William O. Nelson, Director of the Melchizedek Priesthood Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints, Sure Foundation, p 93 reveals the following:

Some who write anti-Mormon pamphlets insist that the Latter-day-Saint concept of Deity is contrary to what is recognized as traditional Christian doctrine. In this they are quite correct.

Bernard P. Brockbank of the First Quorum of the Seventy, spoke plainly in the Church’s General Conference, Ensign, May, 1977, p 26.

It is true that many of the Christian Churches worship a different Jesus Christ than is worshipped by the Mormons.

President Gordon B. Hinckley clarified the Church’s position in the LDS Church News, June 20, 1998, p 7

There are those outside the Church who say Latter-day-Saints ‘ Do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak.’

Jesus Christ of the Bible warns us in Mathew 24:4-5.

“Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

The Biblical Jesus Christ proclaimed in John 14:6

“I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the father, but by

me.”

It is revealing that LDS Apostle Marion G. Romney plagiarized and redefined the meaning of the words of Jesus Christ in the Conference Report, April 1961, p 119.

. . . . This Church. . . is the way, the truth, and the life. . . . .

Apostle Orson Pratt, in The Seer, dated January, 1853 on pp 15-16

Convince us of our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the Word of God, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will ever have the pleasing reflection that you have been the instruments in the hands of God of redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which you may see enveloping their minds. Come, then, let us reason together, and try to discover the true light upon all subjects, connected with our temporal or eternal happiness.

An opposing statement is found in the LDS publication, What the Mormons Think of Christ, p 3:

If all men believed the Bible, all would be Mormons, Bible doctrine is Mormon doctrine, and Mormon doctrine is Bible doctrine. They are one and the same.

Following are some comparisons to evaluate.

BIBLE Isaiah 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD. . . that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. BIBLE Hosea 11:9 . . . .I am God, and not man. . . Numbers 23:19 God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. BIBLE Isaiah 44:6 . . . . I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no God. Deuteronomy 4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. BIBLE Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel Mathew 1:18,20 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. . . for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. BIBLE 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus) and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. . BIBLELD Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful..	LDS POSITION Teachings of PJS, p 346 . . . you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves. . . the same as all Gods have done before you. . . until you are able to dwell in everlasting burnings. LDS POSITION Teachings of the PJS, pp 345-346 God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!. . . for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see. . . he was once a man like us. . . LDS POSITION Teachings of the PJS, p 370 . . . When I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been on the plurality of Gods. . . . President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol 7:333 How many Gods there are I do not know, but there never was a time when there were not Gods. LDS POSITION President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol 4:218 When. . . Saviour should come into the world. . . the Father came himself. . . instead of letting any other man do it. . . that is all the organic difference between Jesus Christ and you and me. . . President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol 1:50-51 . . . Jesus. . . not begotten by the Holy Ghost. . . our elder brother was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden and who is our Father in Heaven. . . if the Son was begotten by the Holy Ghost, it would be very dangerous to baptize and confirm females, and give the Holy Ghost to them, lest he should beget children to be palmed upon the elders by the people. . . . LDS POSITION Teachings of the PJS, p 372 Many men say there is one God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are only one God. I say that is a strange God anyhow—three in one, and one in three! It is a curious organization. . . make the biggest God in the entire world. He would be a giant or a monster. LDS POSITION President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol 10:223 . . . . , yet man is the king of kings and lord of lords in embryo.

President Gordon B. Hinckley was quoted in the Ensign, November 2001, p 5

Those who observe us say that we are moving into the mainstream of religion. We are not changing. The world’s perception of us is changing. We teach the same doctrine.

In Doctrines of Salvation, vol 1, p 188, President Joseph Fielding Smith declared:

Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God. . . or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.

Dear friends and family, if you worship a false god, that god is an idol, incapable of providing salvation and eternal life to anyone! An idol can do absolutely nothing!