Mormon Coffee

“In primary after primary, Mitt actually performed better among self-described Evangelical Christians (supposedly consumed by anti-Mormon bigotry) than he did among non-Evangelicals.” (>>)

Reading an article in the January 19, 2008 edition of the LDS Church News I was struck by an evident disparity between Mormonism and traditional Christianity. In an article titled “Bearing down in pure testimony,” a missionary training seminar talk by LDS apostle L. Tom Perry was described for readers. Speaking of the impact mission presidents and visitor center directors can have on young missionaries, the newspaper reported:

“…[Elder Perry] said[,] ‘You’re going to have the opportunity to touch their lives, to teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want to be certain when they leave you, either serving with you in the visitors center or when they leave to go out in the field, they have a firm testimony of the four cornerstones of the gospel.’

“These he identified as, first, Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior; second, belief in the calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith; third, the Book of Mormon as tangible proof of the mission of the Prophet Joseph; and fourth, the restoration of the priesthood.”

In trying to understand just what Mr. Perry was teaching, I looked up the definition for “cornerstone.” My dictionary said, “An important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based.”

If that definition is correct, then Mr. Perry was saying that the gospel depends on–or is based on–Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the LDS priesthood. Clearly, this is a different gospel than that which has been embraced and proclaimed by Christians throughout redemptive history.

If I were to identify the four cornerstones of the Gospel from the Bible, they would be the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Life: But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. (John 5:36)

Death: God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8-10)

Resurrection: [Abraham's] faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:22-25)

Ascension: In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:2-3)

Rather than the LDS gospel which is based on Jesus Christ plus Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the LDS priesthood, the Good News (Gospel) proclaimed in the Bible rests completely on Jesus Christ.

As Jesus taught His disciples regarding His future ascension, He said,

“And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:4-6)

An Associated Press article in the Salt Lake Tribune yesterday (9 March 2008) reported:

“Members of the Sangre de Christo parish of the Roman Catholic Church voted Sunday to pursue criminal charges against three Mormon missionaries who allegedly vandalized a shrine and committed sacrilegious acts in the church.”

Members of the Catholic parish built the Shrine of the Mexican Martyrs during the past decade “as an expression of [their] faith and an expression of [their] love of God.” According to the article, in 2006, as the LDS missionaries served in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, they damaged the shrine while mocking the Roman Catholic faith. The missionaries got caught when photos of the vandalism were seen on the “Photobucket” web site (these photos were removed from the site on Thursday, but two of them can be seen in an article at The Pueblo Chieftain).

An LDS Mission President confirmed that the men in the photos were LDS missionaries serving in the area at the time of the vandalism. He did not identify them by name, but indicated that they came from California, Idaho and Nevada.

LDS Church officials issued a statement which said they were “deeply saddened” over this “senseless act.” The statement expressed “apologies to all who have been affected” by the vandalism.

One of the missionaries involved, to his credit, wrote a personal apology to the members of the parish. He said,

“I realize that my companions and I have made a mockery of that which is most sacred to many of the residents of San Luis and the rest of the world. I should have known better because I have seen many of the same types of blasphemies made against my own church and I have been appalled.”

The LDS Church said that the Church members involved in the incident at the Shrine of the Mexican Martyrs “are facing Church discipline.” They may also face criminal charges including felony charges for criminal mischief and conspiracy.

Several people who have left comments at the Salt Lake Tribune web site suggest this sort of behavior from LDS missionaries is to be expected because of their youth and immaturity. Others say not so; LDS missionaries are Elders who are supernaturally equipped to be worthy representatives of the LDS Church and of God.

Whatever the case, we would like to think that this incident at the Shrine of the Mexican Martyrs was a one-of-a-kind unfortunate anomaly. However, the Salt Lake Tribune reported,

“When asked whether he was aware of any other acts of vandalism by missionaries against religious property, [LDS spokesman Scott] Trotter said, ‘I’m going to have to decline comment.’”

This story should serve as a reminder to all of us. The apostle Peter admonished,

“… in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:15-16)

May Christ be honored as we each defend our faith and give reason for our hope — here on Mormon Coffee and everywhere else.

There is a Mormon who signs his e-mails with “Bills”. He has been e-mailing those in the countercult ministry for years. Some of us have tried to seriously dialog with him to no avail. His e-mails just keep coming in, and today he wrote:

Look, if it makes you feel any better, I would not be a Mormon either if I were as stupid as you.  But I think it’s an absolute shame that you actually think God is some type of defective LOSER who’s incapable of saving everyone.  Shame on you — You Naughty Boy!

Nevertheless, it’s the solemn duty of faithful Latter-day Saints to help unstick those that get stuck in their own DOG VOMIT theology.  So, unlike your most favorite heretical non-biblical beliefs, our loving God knows how to save everyone and not just a select few.

Hey, I was just wondering, is this a good time to do your post-biblical “alter-call” and parrot back some lip-service LOSERS prayer?

Yikes. I understand that there is a place for firm and even provocative rhetoric at times, but this kind of stuff reminds me of Colossians 4:6: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

We have mentioned his writing before in passing, but, to my knowledge, never called him by name. Well, his e-mail is Billsjane [at] aol [dot] com. Please, my Mormons neighbors, contact him and tell him to stop. The behavior is not characteristic of a Christian, nor is it characteristic of Mormons I know. Our inboxes have had enough of this. Because so many I know have received similar e-mails from him, and because it has persisted so long, I thought I should put the word out. Perhaps going public with his rhetoric will convince him to tone it down.

John MacArthur has a gospel conversation with a Muslim

Latter-day Saints are having a lot of fun over at the Mormon Matters blog. On Tuesday (4 March 2008) blogger John Nilsson posted My Top Ten Cultural Sins, or Why I Don’t Mark My Scriptures and freely confessed his shortcomings as a Latter-day Saint. Others have followed suit and what has resulted is a pretty funny read. I’ve provided a few LDS cultural confessions from the blog below, but if you have the time and would like to read some light-hearted Mormon banter, visit Mormon Matters.

• “I eat meat in the summer and in times of plenty.”
• “I am not a republican and do not consider Ronald Reagan an honorary member of the Godhead.”
• “I regularly fantasize about my wife wearing an outfit without garments.”
• “The Book of Mormon is not my favorite book, in fact it doesn’t make the top 100 list.”
• “Whenever anyone quotes 1 Ne 3:7 I open up to D&C 124:49.”
• “I use alcohol-based mouth wash.”
• “I plan to vote for a descendant of Cain in November.”
• “I put LDS book dust covers on murder mysteries to read during dull talks & testimonies.”
• “I enter into spastic, dry-heave-like convulsions at the mere mention of the word pageant.”
• “Sometimes when I’m at the grocery store I intentionally walk down the coffee aisle just because I love the smell.”
• “I often purposefully take the sacrament and sustain people with my left hand.”