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February NEWSLETTER 2005Below is the newsletter for the month of February, 2005. You can browse each topic by using the links below. If you would like to join the mailing list to get the newsletter each month as well as news about up and coming events within the ministry, you can visit our newsletter page and follow the email instructions. Enjoy and God bless you! You can browse the newsletter by using the links below.
Is the Practice of Polygamy Forever?As I was gathering materials and my thoughts on the topic of polygamy, my wife Judy handed me an article on the subject. It was written in January 2003 by Marvin Cowan, an ex-Mormon and now a Baptist pastor in Salt Lake City. I thought it was something I couldn't improve on so, so with Marvin's permission, I decided I would share it with you. When Brigham Young died, John Taylor became the third Mormon prophet. On page 14 of Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, by John Taylor, he said, "The truth does not change. What was true 1,800, 4,000, or 6,000 years ago is true today, and what was false in any age of the world is false today. Truth, like the great Eloheim, is eternal and unchangeable…" The January 2003 LDS Ensign magazine says the above book was prepared by the Mormon Church as the 2003 curriculum for the Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society, which includes most Mormon adults (p.20). In the same Ensign article Taylor said, "When men go forth in the name of Israel's God, there is no power on earth that can overturn the truths they advocate" (p.27). Taylor's son asked his father how far the new and everlasting covenant (about polygamy in the Doctrine & Covenants, Section 132) was binding upon the LDS people. John Taylor replied that he received a revelation on September 27, 1886 which said, "Thus saith the Lord, all commandments that I give must be obeyed by those calling themselves by my name unless they are revoked by me, or by my authority and how can I revoke an everlasting covenant? For I, the Lord am everlasting and my everlasting covenants cannot be abrogated nor done away with but they stand forever…I have not revoked this law nor will I for it is everlasting and those who will enter into my glory must obey the conditions thereof. Even so. Amen" (Unpublished Revelations, vol. 1 p.206). But less than four months after Taylor's "revelation", Congress passed the 1887 Edmunds-Tucker Act making polygamy unlawful, disfranchising all practicing polygamists, and confiscating expensive properties. So, four years after Taylor's "revelation," the new and everlasting covenant was supposedly revoked by Taylor's successor, Wilford Woodruff, the fourth LDS prophet. He said, "…And I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land" (Official Declaration 1, at the end of the Doctrine & Covenants, dated September 24, 1890 and is LDS scripture). You will note the words that I underlined are not commandments, but only suggestions. However, most Mormons try to insist that it has been outlawed. D & C 132 is still LDS scripture and marriages to more than one wife are still performed in the temple, mostly for the dead. Woodruff also said, "I say to Israel (Mormons), the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of the (LDS) Church to lead you astray" (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 212-213). This quotation has been taught by all LDS prophets. But is it true? In the beginning of this article we quoted Taylor as saying, "Truth is eternal and unchangeable." The question must be asked why, then, are there so many changes in the doctrines of Mormonism? God has not and would not revoke the law of His eternal truths. Mormons need to know the unchangeable God (Malachi 3:6) whose word is eternal (Isaiah 40:8). Jim Robertson
Core Values of Concerned Christians and How We Carry Them Out What is Concerned Christians about?
Dear Jim, Germantown, Maryland Concerned Christians, Mesa, Arizona Praise the Lord! Layton, Utah Dear Concerned Christians, Tempe, Arizona Dear Jim & Judy, Clovis, California Dear Jim & Judy, Phoenix, Arizona Dear Folks, Mesa, Arizona Jim, Arlington, Texas Brothers & Sisters in Christ Jesus, Mesa, Arizona Concerned Christians, Port Orange, Florida Dear Jim & Judy, Mesa, Arizona Dear Concerned Christians, Clearfield, Utah
Mormonism and Polygamy by Lloyd SharpOf all the controversy that has surrounded the Mormon Church since its inception in 1830 none has caused more anger, debate, strife and public relations issues than polygamy. It has continued to be a thorn in the side of LDS Church despite the fact that members have mostly refrained from its practice since "the Lord" issued a divine decree to cease and desist polygamy in 1890. This is due in large part to a combination of two important facts. First, the Bible clearly never teaches men to engage in polygamy and condemns those who do. Second, various LDS sects have continued to engage in polygamy in secret, claiming to follow the original teachings of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other early and prominent Mormon leaders. Yet the despite all the controversy the bottom line is this: is polygamy a God ordained doctrine? If it is, then why did "the Lord" change His mind and decide to stop it? If it is not, then the LDS Church is teaching false doctrines in the name of God. With this in mind, let's look at what the Bible and the Book of Mormon have to say about polygamy. The Mormon doctrine of polygamy was officially announced in 1852 (B. H. Roberts, A Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4: 55 - 57). It did not become part of LDS scripture for another twenty-four years. The revelation was recorded in July of 1843, but it was not added to the Doctrine and Covenants until 1876. This section of Mormon scriptures outlines the Mormon doctrine of polygamy as God allegedly revealed it to Joseph Smith.
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines… According to this revelation, polygamous marriages could only take place under the direction of Joseph Smith and future LDS prophets (D&C 132:7). Entering into polygamy was one of the prerequisites for attaining godhood.
And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise… 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 fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever. As noted earlier, this revelation was allegedly recorded in 1843. Joseph Smith had, however, been engaging in polygamy since 1833, with a secret marriage to Fanny Alger, a 16-year-old girl of an LDS family. Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, discovered the affair after seeing Joseph and Fanny together alone in the barn!
He also informed me of the spot where the first well authenticated case of polygamy took place in which Joseph Smith was "sealed" to the hired girl. The "sealing" took place in a barn on the haymow, and was witnessed by Mrs. Smith through a crack in the door! The Doctor was so distressed about this case, (it created some scandal at the time among the Saints,) that long afterwards when he visited Mrs. Emma Smith at Nauvoo, he charged her as she hoped for salvation to tell him the truth about it. And she then and there declared on her honor that it was a fact--"saw it with her own eyes." (THE SALT LAKE CITY DAILY TRIBUNE--WEDNESDAY MORNING, OCT. 6, 1875, online at http:// www.xmission.com/~country/reason/ beadle1.htm) The controversy surrounding the discovery of this affair was denied with an addition to the Doctrine & Covenants in 1835.
Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy; we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again (D&C 1835 Edition, Section CL:4, online at http://ww.utlm.org/ images/changingworld/ chwp206dcsection101.gif). This denial of polygamy was in the Mormon book of Doctrine & Covenants until 1876. Twenty-four years later it became an official doctrine. The Change
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise. (Doctrine & Covenants, OFFICIAL DECLARATION-1) The passing of the Edmunds-Tucker Act brought about this change. This new law made entering into polygamy a crime in the United States and punished those who were currently practicing polygamy by denying them the right to vote, being jurors, or holding public offices. The Bible And Polygamy
God made one wife for Adam in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:18) The God of the Bible has never ordained polygamy. He has always shunned it and warned His people to do likewise. The claim by Joseph Smith that God told him to enter into polygamy is yet another sign of his false status as a prophet of God.
It Just Didn't Seem Right by Judy RobertsonWith this issue of the Cross, we begin a new feature-an interview with an ex-Mormon. We hope this will enlighten and encourage you as you hear the various ways God is drawing Mormons away from bondage, one by one. We will not use the individuals' names in order to protect their privacy. Doug (not his real name) is an outspoken and knowledgeable former Mormon. When he came to Concerned Christians for our Thursday evening support group, Doug seemed to have a story or experience to share about practically every doctrinal issue we discussed. When I asked if he would mind being interviewed, he was open and encouraged me in this endeavor. I was anxious to talk with him. Here's Doug's story: The first thing that caused him to doubt Mormonism was Polygamy. "I didn't believe it," he says. "I began searching in Doctrine and Covenants 132 where polygamy is called the everlasting covenant. Joseph Smith is talking in circles here. The girls he married weren't virgins. None of it fit. It just didn't seem right. When I read the New Testament, I saw that everything it said pointed to staying married to one woman. We shouldn't uphold Joseph Smith but Jesus Christ." When asked why he left the church, he said, "Because it's a lie. I studied the Bible and found inconsistencies between what it said and what the LDS church taught. For example, the LDS church teaches that the Holy Spirit is available only to Mormons. When I mentioned this to the elders' quorum, they got upset with me. Another example is the teaching that after death others won't see their family unless they are sealed in the Mormon temple. This didn't make sense to me that so many other good people couldn't have the Holy Spirit and wouldn't see their families after death. That led to questioning the Temple rituals that are so eternally significant to the LDS. "You have to do handshakes, signs, and progress toward becoming a god or goddess. It was corny." In 1993, Doug saw a Discover Channel special about Joseph Smith and Free Masonry. As he studied more about Free Masonry, he realized that some of the garments, oaths, signs, and handshakes were the same as those used in the Mormon Temple. "The more I advanced in the temple ceremony, the more I realized it's manmade." Before he studied the connection to Free Masonry, he thought that the LDS was the only true church, the only church with the eternal covenants and ceremonies. "When I connected it to Free Masonry, I knew it was fraudulent." He also saw how the LDS concept of becoming gods and goddesses of your own world didn't align with Biblical Christianity. "It's Satan's goal to trap people into thinking they can be above Christ. In the Mormon church it is slowly introduced that you'll be equal to or better than God." Reaching this goal requires attending the Temple, and adherence to the teachings, practices, and laws of Mormonism. "Also, Mormons don't uphold their own teachings. I heard stake presidents and bishops say, 'I hope I can make it.' I told them the church has us chasing a golden carrot. None of us could do it. In fact the LDS way pushes us farther away from Christ. LDS act nice on the outside but they're faking it. They're hurting more than they want to admit. They're carrying heavy burdens of their callings in the church and the guilt of not really knowing if they're doing enough." Doug knows that we have to reach out to our Mormon neighbors in love. He says, "Arguing is the wrong thing to do. Yes, truth has to be presented, but it must be done in a spirit of love and caring. No debating. Christians should be so honest and genuine that a Mormon will begin to question what causes the Christian to be that way. No competition-there should be none. LDS are programmed that they're superior that's why this will never work to help them see their need to change." To help those who are coming out of Mormonism and into Christianity, he says, "A Christian should show the fruits of the spirit. They should display Christ's love and be an example of what it means to have Christ and love one another." Thank you, Doug. May God bless you as you reach out to your family members and friends who are still Mormon.
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