Content and Still Relevant

It's obvious that this blog has been dormant for a while now.  And it will remain that way until I am once again inspired to write on here.

But I didn't want you to take that for the death of this blog. No, I feel that much of the content of this blog, especially the content about the falsehood of the LDS church is as relevant today as it was when I was writing it.  I want to leave it here for others to find.  I still get messages when comments are made, so I want to be able to respond to those with questions.  I want those who are seeking and/or questioning to have somewhere to come where they are welcome to read and decide for themselves. There is sufficient evidence here to realize what the Mormon church is and is not. I don't want to lose that by removing this blog.

And there are other topics that were inspired to be written. I want that information available as well.

So the blog stays.

And I'm not saying that I won't be back to write. It's just that the season of this blog has temporarily passed. When it returns, this blog will be here for me to write again!

Until then, please read all you'd like. Ask questions...even argue if you'd like.  I will still be here to respond. But for now, I am content to let this blog just exist.

My Choices Were Influenced by WHO?!

Take a moment. Think of your 3-5 closest friends from high school.

Where are they now?

Do you even know where they are living or anything about them?

Do you talk to them now once a week or more? I am not talking about just surface level "my dog just ate my remote" on Facebook. I'm talking about real conversations. Are they still your friend or are they more of an acquaintance?

You see, those people who were once so very important to us and who so strongly influenced what we did, who we thought we were, or what we believed are typically no longer in the picture.

Isn't it strange how me make choices as a teenager that can forever alter our lives, and those choices are influenced by people who will not be around to see us live with those consequences.

Kinda' makes you wonder why you listened to them. I wish we could convince today's teenagers of this.

Are You Saying that Mormons are Evil?!

I received a comment on a post yesterday that I felt needed to be addressed with more than a responding comment. It needs a post of its own. So this is that post.

The comment was “So are you saying that Mormons are evil?”

To find the answer to that question, I beg you to try to read this entire post and save your reactions to the end. I would like you to hear the entire story.

On this blog, there is a huge series of posts (see the table of contents in the drop down menu on the header) regarding the LDS Church (aka the Mormons). These posts address the teachings and further the deceptions of this faith that so many people stand by. These posts were inspired by a friend who was being drawn into the faith and his newfound friends who were the missionaries he was discussing the church with. In love to my friend and concern for my (later acquired) new LDS friends, I wanted to publicly address this faith.

It is one that is strong. It is full of incredible people—some of the most good-hearted people I have ever met. It has an incredible family-oriented image. It paints a beautiful picture of God’s love from those looking in from the outside. However, there are many beliefs and tenets of that faith that are just not biblical. Sure, the missionaries that may have come to your door seem well versed in scripture from your very Bible. They are. To an extent. They are also very good at leading you slowly step by step into their faith. They believe these teachings with all that they are and want you to as well, as they feel they are leading you to the true path to salvation. However, if they were to shock and awe you into all of the teaching of their faith you would be shaken and realize immediately just how different their faith is from yours.

That is what these posts are all about.

The question as to whether I think Mormons are evil stemmed from this post where I strongly urged those who embarked on reading the full study to surround themselves with a prayer of protection every time they started reading about this faith.

Trust me. I totally get the comment. I totally understand the horror with which its author probably wrote it.

Religion and politics are two very volatile topics. Two topics that will immediately incite riots. They are passionate topics and those which people will vehemently defend. I really would not expect anything but a defense of one’s faith. I would do the same thing regarding my faith. I hope you would too.

However, I would like to explain myself and that call to prayer.

If you, whether you are a member of the LDS church, a member of a traditional Christian faith, or a non believer, will read more into the study, you will find that there are many, many differences between traditional biblical Christianity and the beliefs of the Mormon faith. The differences are addressed in a manner that I intended to be respectful, yet thorough and mildly confrontational. I look into these beliefs using the LDS canon and compare it to the words from the KJV version of the Bible (which is the only version of the Bible that the LDS church recognizes). I examine various teaching and proclamations of the Elders and Prophet of the LDS church and compare those to both Biblical scripture and the other books of the LDS canon. I basically compare notes and see what fits and what does not.

I personally, after finding all of this information out for myself through both discussions with LDS friends and study, feel that the Mormon faith is not biblical. In other words, it is not Christian.

Does this make LDS members evil? Yes and no.

KEEP READING.

Inherently, yes. LDS members are evil. But no more than me. And no more than you.

You see, the Bible clearly states that in our natural state, we are evil. We are born into sin with a sin nature. We are not inherently good. A (not so) few examples—all from KJV to follow suit with the study:

• There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men (Ecclesiastes 6:1)
• This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (Ecclesiastes 9:3)
• But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. (Matthew 6:23)
• If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7:11)
• And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23)
• For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7:14-24)
• But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)

So you can see, we are all evil on our own. The only way to overcome that evil is to live in Christ. Christ is the one who overcomes it, not us. We just have to humbly accept His gift and allow Him to live through us. Without Him, we are all evil.

So are LDS members evil? Yes. In the above sense.

Are they more evil than I am? No.

But the LDS church does not teach the right path to salvation.

Does that mean no member of the LDS church is saved and will make it into Heaven?

Well, that’s really not my call to make. You see, a relationship with God is a very personal thing. And I can look at your works and your life and make an estimate about what your standing is in the Kingdom of God, but in all honestly, not only is it just an estimate, but it is not my place to make that call.

Only God knows your heart. Only He knows where you stand with Him. You can have that assurance through Him, but I cannot tell you whether you have that assurance or not.

Are the teachings of the LDS church evil? I believe the teaching of the LDS church to be controlled by the most frightening of evils.

You see, the members and even leaders of that church wholeheartedly believe that they are right. They are trying to persuade others into what they believe to be the truth. However, most of the members of the church do not even realize the full picture of their faith compared to the Bible. They have been taught out of so many other books that they consider scripture alongside the Bible that they do not really know what the Bible itself says when it stands alone…because they do not believe it can stand alone.

They are not trying to get you to join a faith that will mislead you. Not intentionally.

However, they have been misled. By others who have been misled.

They are misleading and do not even realize it.

And why is this evil? They fully believe themselves to be Christian. They convince others they are Christian. They believe many things that are similar to the Chrsitian faith. However, many other things are so anti-Christian that I really do not see how they can be called Christian. I will not go into those differences now (that’s what the study is for), but they have a completely different definition of who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy Spirit is, who man is, the plan of salvation, the definition and description of both Heaven and Hell, as well as many others. With just an ounce of the Truth included, they feel that the entire teachings of their church are Truth.

And it is very, very sad to me that one cannot trust his/her own church.

They are told (and will encourage the same of you) to search their hearts for the Truth. However, that too is unbiblical. For the Bible states:

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9).

So do you find Truth in your heart? Do you find it in your church? Do you find it in the scriptures? Have you personally read and studied your scriptures well enough to know the Truth if you saw it?

I challenge you, that if this post has either piqued your interest or even just angered you, please, read the study. You can start either with who I am and why I am writing this, you can start with the background of the church to gain some perspective, or you can dive straight into the core information. You can argue with me. You can debate me. I welcome both (although if they are not done is the same respectful manner that I attempt to address this entire topic, they will not be posted or responded to). However, I ask you to seriously search for the Truth—in my words, in your teachings, but most importantly in the Word of God. If you find anything in your canon that seems to be out of sync from what can truly be found in the Bible (not in what you are told is there, but in what you find there for yourself), it is certainly worth further investigation in my opinion.

Godspeed.

The Story of Zac Smith

Just wanted to update this post and note that Zac died on 05/16/10. I pray his family and friends know peace while missing this inspirational man.

The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

Question on Injustice

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it.”

“Well, why don’t you ask Him?”

“Because I’m afraid He would ask me the same question.”

(Anonymous) -a quote from A Hole in the Gospel, by Richard Stearn, President of World Vision.
___________________________________________________

This was an eye-opening quote that I read yesterday. Please go read the remainder of the post where I saw it.

Do Some People Think You Stink?

I was doing my daily Bible reading a couple of days ago and came across a passage that I've never noticed before (isn't that strange how you can read OVER a passage many times but actually read it another?).

Here it is:

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2: 15-16, NIV)

This scripture is further evidence that real life as a Christian plays out in very real ways.

It seems that when we are walking with God and living out loud, other believers find a sweet aroma. Those who are seeking experience the "fragrance of life" that can only be found in God. However those who have the burden of sin upon their lives find us offensive...the very "smell of death" whether they recognize it as that or not.

If they are not ready to meet God, they will often reject you, your life, your beliefs, your faith, your morals. They might mock. They might ignore. They might attack. All because you are the smell of death to them...their own God-given consciousness is reeling at your presence because of the weight of sin bearing down on them. Conviction is weighing heavy on them.

But if they are ready...they will encounter an aroma unlike anything they know in their current state. You will appeal to them in a way they cannot explain. They will be attentive to your ways and your words. They will be watching and learning. They will seek what it is that makes you smell so sweet to them.

Strange that one person can effect people in two very different, very polar ways.

You never know where a person is in their path to faith. It is up to us to leave a path in our wake that will draw others to God. Maybe they will mock. Maybe they will be attuned to God. All we must do is live in the way that He commands and let Him work out the rest in whatever way He wants.

So be who you are meant to be in Him. Let the reaction of others not phase you nor discourage you. Their perception of you might well be tied up in their heart condition.

And remember--if you absolutely reek to some people...you just might be doing it right.

Hello. My Name is Martha

You know, I've always looked down on Martha.

You know...Mary's sister.

See, Mary was the good one. The one who wanted to listen to Jesus. Martha was too wrapped up in her little world of cooking, entertaining, and preparing the house that she wouldn't take the time out to spend some time with the Lord. What was she, stupid?

This is how the Message tells the story (Luke 10:38-42)

As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."

The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Seriously...who would spend time in the kitchen when JESUS HIMSELF sat in the next room speaking?

Obviously, I would.

Martha was loved by Jesus. She obviously had a good heart. She obviously had a servant's heart with good intentions. But oh, how her intentions were her focus rather than the Master.

I've decided that as disgusted with Martha as I once was, I'm actually a lot like her. It's like realizing that you grew up to be just like your mother (which in the end, isn't so bad, you know?).

You see, too often I realize that I hustle and bustle around in the morning to get ready for the day and have everything in order for the kids that I walk out the door before realizing that I haven't read my Bible.

I'm too busy with busywork that I neglect to spend time with the Lord when He is near and wanting to teach me.

I. Am. Martha.

Nice to meet you.

I'm trying to work on my Mary-ness though. Twice this week I have been THIS CLOSE to being late for work because now I read my Bible before doing some of the things that I MUST do before leaving in the morning (like getting dressed). And I have vowed not to rush through it.

I'm making an effort to spend time with my Lord, because it is essential. And I'm choosing it.