Reasons 551-580

 

580 REASONS (and counting) WHY YOU SHOULD LEAVE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

 

            

    

551 – Thoughts, An Accounting of All

 

Power Within Us, pg. 60; Although your spirit had a veil of forgetfulness placed over it at the time of your birth into mortality, it retained its power to remember all that happens—precisely recording each event of life. Indeed, scriptures warn that “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36.) Prophets refer to our “bright recollection” (Alma 11:43) and “perfect remembrance” (Alma 5:18) at that day of decision.

 

Psalm 94:11; The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

552 – Truth

 

Apostle Boyd K. Packer, as related by D. Michael Quinn, “Pillars of My Faith,” talk delivered at Sunstone Symposium, Salt Lake City, August 19, 1994; I have a hard time with historians… because they idolize the truth. The truth is not uplifting; it destroys. Historians should tell only that part of the truth that is inspiring and uplifting.

 

Romans 3:3-4; For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

 

553 – Truth; Some Truth in Everything

 

TPJS, pg. 316; Have the Presbyterians any truth? Yes. Have the Baptists, Methodists, etc., any truth? Yes. They all have a little truth mixed with error. We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true “Mormons.”

 

Isaiah 59:13-15; In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.  14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.  15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

 

 

554 – Truths, there are some in all Churches

 

 

DS 3:271; SOME TRUTH IN ALL CHURCHES. All churches teach some truth, whether they profess belief in Confucius, Buddha, the Greek and Roman gods, or anything else; otherwise their churches would not endure a month. The fact that they teach some truth does not make them the Church of God. There is but one Church of God.

 

Hebrews 13:7-9; Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.  8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

 

U

 

555 – Unbelief/Doubting

 

Life and Teachings of James Faust, pg. 281; When a member expresses his private doubts or unbelief as a public chastisement of the leadership or the doctrine of the Church, or as a confrontation with those also seeking eternal light, he has entered upon sacred ground. Those who complain about the doctrine or leadership of the Church but who lack the faith or desire to keep God’s commandments risk separating themselves from the divine source of learning. They do not enjoy the same richness of the Spirit that they might enjoy if they proved their sincere love of God by walking humbly before Him, by keeping His commandments, and by sustaining those He has appointed to lead the Church. (“The Abundant Life,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 8.).” (Underline emphasis mine.)

 

Mark 9:24; And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

 

556 – U.S. Will be Overthrown

 

LDS Prophets Speak, pg. 230; I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the State of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by officers, that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished, thereby perpetrating a foul and corroding blot upon the fair fame of this great republic, the very thought of which would have caused the high-minded and patriotic framers of the Constitution of the United States to hide their faces with shame.-Joseph Smith, Jr., “Historical Record,” p. 514, May 18, 1843” (This is known to the LDS as the “Potsherd Prophecy”.)

 

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.

 

 

557 – US to Suffer Bloodshed

 

HC 1:315-316; And now I am prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that not many years shall pass away before the United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the history of our nation; pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this generation from off the face of the land, to open and prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north country.

 

Matt. 24:4-6, 11; And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet… And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

 

 

V

 

558 – Vocabulary

 

 

EM, 1537;Although Latter-day Saints share with other Christian faiths a general Judeo-Christian linguistic heritage, “Mormon language” includes many words and phrases that have distinctive meanings.  Also, many words commonly used in other branches of Christianity are not common in LDS language.

 

Romans 1:22-23; Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

 

559 – Virgin Birth

 

MD, pg. 822; Our Lord is the only mortal person ever born to a virgin, because he is the only person who ever had an immortal Father. Mary, his mother, “was carried away in the Spirit” (1 Ne. 11:13-21), was “overshadowed” by the Holy Ghost, and the conception which took place “by the power of the Holy Ghost” resulted in the bringing forth of the literal and personal Son of God the Father. (Alma 7:10; 2 Ne. 17:14; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38.) Christ is not the Son of the Holy Ghost, but of the Father.

 

Luke 1:26-28; And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.  28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” (See entire passage Luke 1:26-56)

 

Virtue

 

560 – God Delights in Chastity

 

Moroni 9:9; And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum. For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue—

 

John 15:15-16; Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.  16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

561 – Raped Daughter Better off Dead

 

 

Discourses of Brigham Young, pg. 194; I would rather follow her to the grave, and send her home pure, than suffer my daughter to be prostituted. I will not suffer any female member of my family to be polluted through the corruptions of wicked men. 2:322.

 

Deuteronomy 22:25-27; But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.

562 – Virtue Worth More Than Life

 

Miracle of Forgiveness, pg. 61; Your virtue is worth more than your life. Please, young folk, preserve your virtue even if you lose your lives. Do not tamper with sin … do not permit yourselves to be led into temptation. Conduct yourselves seemly and with due regard, particularly you young boys, to the sanctity of womanhood. Do not pollute it.

 

Isaiah 43:1-4; But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.  2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.  3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.  4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

 

563 – Visions from God

 

Milton Backman, Jr., Ensign, January 1985; On at least four different occasions, Joseph Smith either wrote or dictated to scribes accounts of his sacred experience of 1820…In an important way, the existence of these different accounts helps support the integrity of the Latter-day Saint Prophet. It indicates that Joseph did not deliberately create a memorized version which he related to everyone. In the legal profession, attorneys and judges recognize that if a witness repeats an incident by using precisely the same language, the court might challenge the validity of such a statement…Indeed, there are long-standing precedents for differing accounts of the same spiritual experience. For example, the four Gospels do not correspond exactly concerning the great events at the garden’s empty tomb. There are variations as to the number of women and angels who were present and whether the angels were sitting or standing. Although the Prophet Joseph Smith in his inspired translation clarified some of these details (and others cited below), minor disparities remain in the four descriptions of this event (compare Matt. 28 with Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20). The differences, however, are not important—they may have resulted from incorrect transmissions or translations, or may be the result of recording the event from different perspectives. The glorious fact remains that the tomb was empty because Jesus had risen as the first fruits of the Resurrection.

All 9 versions of the first vision can be found at http://www.lifeafter.org/jsmith

Jeremiah 14:14; Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

564 – Volunteerism

 

EM, pg. 1539; Members strive to govern themselves and voluntarily find ways to serve within the principles, objectives, and guidelines taught by the Church. While all members are commanded to be “anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will” (D&C 58:27), it is not customary for members to offer unsolicited advice, to intervene in the responsibilities of others, or to suggest themselves for specific Church callings. Most members accept whatever callings are extended to them, and few request to be released except under difficult circumstances.

 

James 2:17-18; Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

 

W

 

565 – (The) Way, the Truth, and the Light – *

 

 

Marion Romney, Conference Report, April 1961, pg. 119; This Church is the standard which Isaiah said the Lord would set up for the people in the latter days. This Church was given to be a light to the world and to be a standard for God’s people and for the Gentiles to seek to. This Church is the ensign on the mountain spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. It is the way, the truth, and the life.”

 

John 14:6; Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

566 – Wedding in Cana of Galilee

 

JD 2:82; Gentlemen, that is as plain as the translators, or different councils over this Scripture, dare allow it to go to the world, but the thing is there; it is told; Jesus was the bridegroom at the marriage of Cana of Galilee, and he told them what to do.  Now there was actually a marriage; and if Jesus was not the bridegroom on that occasion, please tell who was. If any man can show this, and prove that it was not the Savior of the world, then I will acknowledge I am in error.

 

John 2:1-2; And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.  (See entire passage in John 2:1-11.)

 

567 – Whore of Babylon

 

 

1 Nephi 14:10; “And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

 

Jeremiah 3:6; The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

 

568 – Whores of Babylon

 

 

The Seer, pg. 255; “But who in this generation have authority to baptize? None but those who have received authority in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints: all other churches are entirely destitute of all authority from God; and any person who receives Baptism or the Lord’s supper from their hands will highly offend God, for he looks upon them as the most corrupt of all people. Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the “whore of Babylon” whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. And any person who shall be so wicked as to receive a holy ordinance of the gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent of the unholy and impious act.

 

Rev. 17:4-6; And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

 

 

569 – Women in the Church

 

Elder Erastus Snow, JD 5:291; Do the women, when they pray, remember their husbands? Do you pray for brother Brigham? Yes, you should always pray for him. But when you pray for him, do you pray also for your own husband, that he may have the inspiration of the Almighty to lead and govern his family as the lord? Do you uphold your husband before God as your lord? “What!—my husband to be my lord?” I ask, Can you get into the celestial kingdom without him? Have any of you been there? You will remember that you never got into the celestial kingdom without the aid of your husband. If you did, it was because your husband was away, and some one had to act proxy for him. No woman will get into the celestial kingdom, except her husband receives her, if she is worthy to have a husband; and if not, somebody will receive her as a servant.

 

2 Corinthian 5:19; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

 

570 – Women, Salvation for

 

 

JD 5:291; Do the women, when they pray, remember their husbands? Do you pray for brother Brigham? Yes, you should always pray for him. But when you pray for him, do you pray also for your own husband, that he may have the inspiration of the Almighty to lead and govern his family as the lord? Do you uphold your husband before God as your lord? “What!—my husband to be my lord?” I ask, Can you get into the celestial kingdom without him? Have any of you been there? You will remember that you never got into the celestial kingdom without the aid of your husband. If you did, it was because your husband was away, and some one had to act proxy for him. No woman will get into the celestial kingdom, except her husband receives her, if she is worthy to have a husband; and if not, somebody will receive her as a servant.

 

Acts 28:28; Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

571 – Women, Unmarried are Damned

 

Latter-day Prophets and the D&C, 4:392-393; We cannot feel justified in closing this article on the subject of marriage without saying a few words to unmarried females in this Church. You will clearly perceive, from the revelation which God has given, that you can never obtain a fulness of glory, without being married to a righteous man for time and for all eternity.

 

1 Corinthians 7:8-11; I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.  9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.  10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

572 – Word of Wisdom/Dietary Laws

 

 

D&C 89:1-21; “A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—…

 

Col. 2:13-17; And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

573 – No Works for the Dead

 

Moroni 10:26; And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.

 

Luke 10:38-42; Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.  41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 

574 – Works, God Won’t Recognize Good

 

Gospel Principles, pg. 81; If a man does not have the priesthood, even though he may be sincere, the Lord will not recognize ordinances he performs (see Matthew 7:21-23).

 

Galatians 3:10-13; For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

 

 

575 – Works for God

 

 

D&C 137:7-9; Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.

 

Galatians 5:3-4; For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

 

 

576 – Works on Earth and Pre-existence

 

 

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 590; From the time of their spirit birth, the Father’s pre-existent offspring were endowed with agency and subjected to the provisions of the laws ordained for their government. They had power to obey or disobey and to progress in one field or another. “The first principles of man are self-existent with God,” the Prophet said. “God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself.” (Teachings, p. 354.)

 

Luke 18:9, 14; And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

 

577 – Worship, Where Not to

 

Mormon Doctrine, pg. 662; Sacred GroveIt was there that the Father and the Son personally appeared to him, in accordance with their eternal plan, for the hour had come for the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times. (Jos. Smith 2:15-20.)…Ever since, this chosen site, hallowed by Deity’s personal presence, has been known by the saints as the Sacred Grove. It is not a shrine in the sense that many denominations have shrines, nor is there any sanctity now attached to the trees and land there located. But it is a spot held sacred in the hearts of those who believe the truths of salvation, because they glory in the transcendent event which there took place.

 

Deuteronomy 16:21-22; Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.  22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.

 

 

578 – Worship, Whom Do You – 2/2008

 

 

Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration, pg. 112; Consequently, as I have said, Joseph Smith is held in reverence, his name is honored; tens of thousands of people thank God in their heart and from the depths of their souls for the knowledge the Lord has restored to the earth through him, and therefore they speak well of him and bear testimony of his worth. . . .They speak to his praise, to his honor, and they hold his name in honorable remembrance. They revere him and they love him as they love no other man, because they know he was the chosen instrument in the hands of the Almighty of restoring the Gospel of life and salvation unto them.

 

Is your life stained with the Blood of the Lamb?  The life of a Christian is that of total passion to Christ Jesus and Him crucified.  None other name under heaven or on earth will suffice.  Jesus told the disciples in John 16:13-14 that the Holy Spirit would testify of Him to those that believe.  Oswald Chambers said “The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally.”

 

John 16:13-14; Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.  14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 

Z

 

579 – Zion is in Missouri

 

 

TPJS pg. 17; “…people of the Lord, those who have complied with the requirements of the new covenant, have already commenced gathering together to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri…

 

1 Kings 8:1; Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

 

 

And last but not least –

 

 

Coffee!

 

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