At what specific point in early Church history does Mormon doctrine say it went into apostacy?
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Orson Pratt, an early Mormon theologian claimed that, "[t]his great apostasy commenced about the close of the first century of the Christian era, and it has been waxing worse and worse from then until now." Not very specific, is it?\n\nThere is another page that talks about this. See the second Source below. Both sources are from BACs, so they have very differing views from LDS people themselves.
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Mormons believe that the "true" religion of christ was lost from the earth shortly after christ died.  This "true" christianity was then restored through their first prophet, Joseph Smith, in 1830 when god and jesus appeared to him and told him he had been chosen to restore the true church to the earth.  He also was visited by Moroni, supposedly a prophet from a lost race of ancient americans, who told him where to find golden plates on which was written the spiritual history of his people, similar to the bible but with all of the events taking place in ancient America.  The book he "translated" from these plates became the book of Mormon (Mormon was one of the ancient American prophets), and tells their history as well as the story of Jesus visiting the faithful in America after his resurrection.\nThey believe "as man now is, god once was...and as god now is, man may become" -- meaning that god was once a guy on a planet like us, he did good, achieved eternal life, and was given this earth to rule.  They believe that each of us can do the same, after our lives are over if we're righteous we can get our own world to create/rule over, populate with spirit children, etc.  You get to be a god!\nThey have secret rituals that are done in their temples that are derivatives of Masonic rituals, secret underwear that reminds them of the rituals done in the temples and which are supposed to protect them from harm, still hold plural marriage (polygamy) as a tenet of their religion although it's currently not practiced officially by church members.  They are adamant about collecting 10% tithing (you have to "settle" with your local church every year, showing your tax return and proving you paid your 10% to be considered a faithful member).  They're big on missionary work and getting new members, sending thousands of missionaries to every country in the world they can every year.  They believe they can do "sacraments" (baptism, temple marriages, etc.) for their relatives who have passed away and never had a chance to join the Mormon church, which will give them the chance to accept it in the afterlife.  There are other differences, but that's the gist of it :)\n\nI'm a former Mormon who did a 2-year missionary stint, and know the temple routines very well.  Send me an e-mail or IM if you want to know more.
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I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I can tell you. Members of the LDS Church (that's the prefered term, though most know us as "Mormons") believe that Joseph Smith, at the age of fourteen, was searching for God's church on the Earth. After looking into so many, he was a bit confused and asked the Bible. He read in the book of James, Chapter 1, verse 5, that: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." Continuing on in verse 6, it says: "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering•. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Reading this, Joseph wanted a quiet place to pray, so he went into  a grove of trees, where he knelt to pray. He asked God to tell him which church was His, which church to join.In the Joseph Smith History, it speaks of this account: "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.\n\nBut, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.\n\nIt no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!\n \nMy object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.\n\nI was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all awrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”\n\nHe again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?"\n\n\nI hope that ans
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Yes, Mormons are Christians.\n\nMormons practiced polygamy until 1890.  It was then abolished.  For more information about the abolishment of polygamy, go here: http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1.\n\nAs far as the Bible, we believe the Bible to believe the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.  There are some mistranslations in the Bible, and as far as the translations are true, the Bible is true in our eyes.\n\nWe do not have our "own Bible".  We do however have the Book of Mormon.  It does not replace the Bible.  To best explain it, it is another set of historical and spiritual documents that were translated into English (just like the Bible was).  For more information about exactly what the Book of Mormon is, go here: http://scriptures.lds.org/bm/intrdctn.\n\nLet me know if you have any further questions.\n\n(Modification:  All scriptures that the Mormons, aka LDS, uses can be found in their entirety here: http://scriptures.lds.org/contents.
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We as individuals can lose salvation and local churches can fall into apostasy (fall from favor). The church that was established in the 1st Century has never totally disappeared from the earth. As you read the New Testament though, you see that false teachers were already popping up in the church and leading many astray to be lost in eternal damnation. The TRUE church that Jesus rules over, His Spiritual kingdom, worships just as is described in the NT. They are organized just as described in the NT. They do not have any book of creeds or doctrines. The Bible is their only guide. If you want to learn more, please feel free to contact me.
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It's an abbreviation for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, usually called the mormons.
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The Truth About  Mormonism\n\nMost LDS (This stands for Latter Day Saint, That's what they like to call themselves) won't tell you what the Church believes because it is so bizarre. These strange beliefs are the reason mainline Christians Churches say that Mormonism is a non-christian cult. In the next paragraph I will tell you what they believe and add what the Bible teaches on the subject where appropriate.\nMormons teach that our god is a glorified man. A being of flesh and bone. The Bible makes it very clear that God is spirit. The Mormon god  stated out in the great expanse of uncreated space. There in the darkness of a pre-spiritual existence, god the father, Jesus, you, and I will there all equal and co-eternal. Then a god had sexual intercourse with one of his wives and our god was given a spiritual body. He happened to be the first born of this god so he became the savior of this god's world just like Jesus is for our world. He lived, and taught Mormonism to those who would listen to mine. He died just like Jesus did here and if others on that world would repent and be baptized by the Mormon priest there and live to the end of their lives in righteousness they were allow to return to their god. If they didn't measure up they were assigned to other kingdoms that that god has created for them. Kingdoms overseen by their savior  (who became our god) and another valiant spirit that was given the office of holy ghost. (What do you think, is this getting complex?) After the end of the world that our god did his mortal ministry on, he was given many worthy females at he could have sex with and thereby create spirit children (us) to send to a world that he created. Oh, by the way these worlds weren't really created they were organized out of the matter available in space (matter is co-eternal with god and can't be created or destroyed). Jesus was the first born of our god and Lucifer the second born (who became the devil). Can you believe this Mormons don't just say that Jesus is our spiritual brother but also he and we are brothers of Satan. Lucifer wanted to force us all to be good and bring us all back to god Jesus wanted to give us freedom to make our own decision. Jesus won this battle and became god the son. Well Mormons believe this process is repeated again and again. It is their goal to live a perfect life through their first principles of their gospel they are:\n          1. Faith in the Mormon Jesus\n          2. Baptism by immersion (Done only by their priests)\n          3. Laying on of hands for the gift of the Mormon Holy Ghost  ( Done only by their elders)\n          4. Repentance ( You have to repent of every sin you commit, You better have a good memory)\n          5. Enduring to the end of your life in righteousness. Go to step 4 each time to you sin.\nAlong with this there is marriage in the  Mormon temple (You can't become a god without being married). Everyone is also asked to pay a full tithe (Ok they got one thing right) and do volunteer service for the church (They have no paid ministry. That isn't bad either but someone should tell them that pastoring a local christian church is a full time and a half job and it doesn't pay well at all. Men and women that do it are called of God No one would go into that kind of work on their own..\n\n\nJim
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www.lds.org is a good starting place to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints\nThe name Mormon actually belongs to a prophet named Mormon who lived about 400 years after the time of Christ. He was responsible for compiling a record of the Nephites and Lamanites - people who lived in the Americas anciently and who originally came out from Jerusalem around 600 B.C. just after the era of Isaiah and Jeremiah in the Bible. The Book of Mormon has an interesting mission - it testifies of Jesus Christ AND supports the Bible as well. We believe in a living prophet today - just as in the time of the Bible, and we also have 12 Apostles who have had a special witness of Jesus Christ. I have met a few of them, and when you look into their eyes you know that they know that Jesus Christ is alive and very much involved with the past, present, and future of the children of God. \nBy the way, you may get a few anti-Mormon answers by asking this question. Believe me, I've heard just about everything and I promise you there is an answer for anything brought up. Have a happy day.
192496
They are wrong, and they won't go to Heaven I'm afraid.  It says in the Bible that nothing is to be added yet they went and made a whole extra testament!  Also, what's all that rubbish about Mormons inheriting their own planet when they die?  I have a former Mormon friend, who is now a Christian, he uses the analogy that Mormonism is like seeing a cardboard cut-out of The Beatles, whereas Christianity is like meeting them in person - there is just no comparison.  Sorry Mormons, you are wrong...you need to get yourself a personal relationship with Jesus or your off to Hell.
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I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, better known be nonmembers a Mormons\n\nIntroduction to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints \n\nWhen Jesus Christ lived on the earth, He organized His Church so that all people could receive His gospel and return one day to live with God, our Heavenly Father. After Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, His Apostles continued to receive revelation from Him on how to direct the work of His Church. However, after they were killed, members changed the teachings of the Church that He had established. While many good people and some truth remained, this Apostasy, or general falling away from the truth, brought about the withdrawal of the Church from the earth. The Apostle Peter prophesied that Jesus would restore His Church before His Second Coming (Acts 3:19–21). \nJesus Christ began to restore His Church in its fulness to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820. It has grown to become a worldwide Church with over 12 million members. It has the same teachings and basic organization as the Church established by Jesus in New Testament times. \n\nBasic beliefs \n\nYou may have questions about what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe. Some of the basic beliefs of the Church are: \nGod is our Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to return to Him. \nJesus Christ is the Son of God. He is our Savior. He redeems us from death by providing the Resurrection. He saves us from sin as we repent. \nThrough the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can return to live with God if we keep His commandments. \nThe Holy Ghost helps us to recognize truth. \nThe first principles and ordinances of the gospel are faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. \nThe Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. \nThe priesthood authority of God exists in His Church today, just as it did in the original Church. \nThe Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. \nGod reveals His will to prophets today, just as He did anciently. \nOur life has a sacred purpose. \nFamilies can be together forever. \nThrough serving others, we can experience joy and draw closer to God. \n\nhttp://www.mormon.org/
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We know very little about what actually happened. It was probably similar to what happened with Joseph Smith of Mormonism.
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Because the Mormon perception of what Jesus did, his role in the salvation of man, and his relationship with God the father is different.\n\nAs a Mormon, you believe that Jesus came to the Americas after he had died on the cross. You believe that God had many sons, one of which was Jesus. You believe that God the father and Jesus were not part of the same Godhead.
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None.  But there's plenty that proves that it's NOT:\n\nBOOK OF MORMON PROBLEMS \n\n\nThe Book of Mormon is still the baited hook by which Mormons lure thousands of new converts into their ranks every year. Prospective converts are urged to read it and then pray to ask God if it is true. Only upon reading it do they learn of its threats of eternal condemnation to all who reject it (2 Nephi 33:10-15; 15:11-18; Mormon 8:16-17; 4:21-22).1 \n\nObviously, accepting it would seem safer than rejecting it under those circumstances, and this is undoubtedly one of the reasons for its success. \n\nThe Book of Mormon claims to be superior to the Bible. The first hundred pages are spent laying the groundwork for this position. Its basic presupposition is that the Bible has been altered by unscrupulous clergy in centuries past and no longer contains all the truth which God wants man to have. This, then, creates a need for the Book of Mormon, which claims to restore those "plain and precious things" which are necessary for the salvation of mankind (I Nephi 13:26-40; 3:166-193).2 \n\nIt claims to be a record written on golden plates by prophets of a white race who lived in the Americas for about 1,000 years. This race was exterminated in A.D. 421. The indigenous race inhabiting the Americas when Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 is portrayed by the Book of Mormon to be the cousins of that white race, cursed with a dark skin for having rejected God (2 Nephi 5:21; 4:33-35). \n\nIt teaches that the American Indians are actually Israelites of the tribes of Judah, Ephraim and Manasseh.3 Their skin curse is to be removed within a few generations after being converted to Jesus Christ through the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 30:6'versions before 1981; 12:84).4 This change in skin color from black to white has supposedly taken place several times in the past, whenever they turned to the Lord (Alma 23:18; 14:20; 3 Nephi 2:14-16; 1:52-53). \n\nPerhaps its greatest claim is that it is preparing the way for the second coming of Jesus. Christ's second coming is to be preceded by a massive conversion of the American Indians to Christ through the Book of Mormon. These converted Indians will then exterminate those gentiles in the Americas who will not accept it.5 After that, the believing Indians and the Mormons will build the New Jerusalem where Christ will return to live (3 Nephi 16:11-16;7:35-42;3 Nephi 21:24-25;9:98-100). Subsequent revelation by Joseph Smith revealed this site to be in Independence, Missouri.6 Faith in the Book of Mormon thus becomes an added condition for salvation besides faith in Jesus Christ. \n\nIn reality, the Book of Mormon contains very little original information. Rather, Joseph Smith apparently reworked information which he had assimilated and then presented it as a "translation" from the golden plates. This can be demonstrated by comparing the Book of Mormon with other sources which were available to him. Also, he probably had some unpublished manuscripts from Solomon Spaulding which he used. \n\nMaterial in the Book of Mormon will be examined which appears to be plagiarized from The Maccabees, Shakespeare's Hamlet, Josephus' Wars of the Jews, Solomon Spaulding's Manuscript Found, Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews and the King James Version of the Bible. Then other kinds of difficulties with the Book of Mormon will be scrutinized. \n\nThe most common masculine name in the Book of Mormon and the title of four of its fifteen books is "Nephi." Most Mormons are surprised to learn that this name is found in 2 Maccabees 1:36. Here it is a place name, however, and not the name of a person.7 \n\nThe play Hamlet has been popular ever since written by William Shakespeare. In the Book of Mormon, a paraphrase from Shakespeare is considered by many to be evidence of plagiarism.8 Here the Book of Mormon represents Lehi, who supposedly lived about 600 B.C., as saying, "the cold
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Please read. \n\nI am a convert to the Church, having joined my senior year of high school. It has now been 16 years of blessing after blessing from the Lord for that decision. During all of those 16 years, I have read and re-read the Book of Mormon countless times as well as the other standard works and tried to live by their teachings. My testimony of the Book of Mormon is that it is God's word and work and it is true. You still get that burning in your bosom because despite what any critic says because the Church is true!\n\nAs far as the anti-mormon claims on this site, I agree that we should study and investigate OUR FAITH, not someone's mis-interpretation of our faith. Studying anti-mormon literature is hardly worth the effort and its sole purpose is to create doubt and lead people away from Christ. Many such sites simply isolate, twist doctrines or blatantly lie about the church. A great site for explanations to many such claims can be found at: http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/\n\nYou must remember, however, that the witness from the Holy Ghost is infinitely more valuable then any proof that man can provide. \n\nHaving said all of that, I will address some of the criticisms of the website to help you see that they are not as substantial as they appear. Nor could the Bible stand up to many of the same standards that they use to measure the Book of Mormon and the church.\n\nThere were no figs in America yet the Book of Mormon mentions figs (3 Ne 14:16). This is actually a great piece of evidence in favor of the historicity of the book of Mormon.  Since the Nephites came from Jerusalem, where they have figs, it would make perfect sense that they talk about them. The website does not mention Jacob 5 which talks about olives. The Nephites did not have olives, nor could Joseph Smith have had the knowledge he did to discuss, in accurate verifiable detail, how to care for and graft olive trees. Why mention only the things that they think will cause doubt?\n\nSince the site mentions breatplates, I will touch upon this briefly. I showed a film to my Spanish class today on the ancient Mayan civilizations. One of the first things that they discussed was how the Maya people, until recently, were seen as a peaceful people (one of archaeology’s errors). Evidence has been found of massive warfare. Cities with bunkers of dirt have been located and described as far back as Cortez himself (all of which support the Book of Mormon). The host of the video then shows a Maya carving of a warrior and points out, none other than, his breastplate. Much of the information on your anti-mormon site has long since been repudiated by current archaeologists.  \n\nThe witnesses are another good example. This website claims that the Book of Mormon is false because they apostatized from the church and may or may not have had other problems (I do not see isolated quotes, taken out of context from an anti-Mormon site as reliable). \n\nIs the Bible then also false because some of its prophets and leaders were unfaithful? The prophet Balaam disobeyed God and compromised the ancient Israelites and was killed.  Aaron allowed the Israelites to build a golden calf and worship it. Paul persecuted the Christians. Jonah failed to preach to the people of Nineveh. Peter denied Christ three times. Thomas didn't believe Christ could resurrect, even when Christ was standing right in front of him. Judas betrayed the Savior. All of these offenses seem much more serious than those of the Three Witnesses, yet we unquestioningly accept the bible. Christ was perfect, no one else. This is no reason to discredit the Book of Mormon. \n\nThis site claims that the lack of archaeological evidence as a reason to discredit the Book of Mormon. This only shows their lack of knowledge about archaeology in the ancient Americas. It is in an embryonic state when compared with the amount of time that similar research has been conducted in biblical lands. Only a very small pe
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Uhm... I think you've got things just a little bit distorted, lol. It's not the Indians who became the first Mormons. According to the Mormon philosophy, the first Native Americans were European settlers who turned brown when they first migrated to the new land. Hence, the first Native Americans.\n\nSo, perhaps the question you should be asking is, why don't Europeans (Whites or Caucasians) turn brown when they integrate into Native American culture?
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No.\n\nThey are three different entities in the Mormon belief.\n\nBesides that, it is a different god than the God of the Bible as Christians understand it. Therefore it is a different Jesus and a different Holy Spirit. They use Christian terminology, however, their theology is totally different.
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They do now, that doctorine wasn't recinded until 1978 though. \nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacks_and_Mormonism\nhttp://www.answers.com/topic/blacks-and-mormonism\nMormonism's Racist Theology\nA dirty secret that can't be covered up \n\nIntroduction\n\nMormon theology teaches that that Cain and his descendants were placed under a curse, namely, black skin, a curse that prevented almost all of Cain's descendants from being allowed entry into the Mormon priesthood. Not until 1978,in a declaration entitled "Official Declaration 2", did the Mormon church finally relent, and allowed blacks into their priesthood. \n\nMormons believe the Cainites survived the Flood because Noah's son Ham married a Cainite (allegedly). Those who are descended for this couple are Cainites and are under the "curse" of black skin, according to Mormon theology. This doctrine has been the basis of the racist exclusion of blacks from the Mormon priesthood until as late as 1978. \n\n\nSo how do Mormons try to get out of this racist charge? \n\nWell, they sometimes claim a descendant of Ham could technically be any skin color, not just black. However, the reference to dark skin in the LDS scriptures and leaders's speeches rules out this escape hatch. LDS apologists may also try to point to such ethnic groups as the aborigines of Australia, dark-skinned people who were never under the ban. However, this is simply irrelevant. Africans and African-Americans were considered inferior people up until 1978, and the Mormon church has to answer for it. \n\nNow let's look at some of the details. \n\n\n\n\n\nRacism in the Book of Mormon\n1 Nephi 12:23 \n"And I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark and loathsome and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations."\n1 Nephi 13:15 \n". . . and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful . . ."\n2 Nephi 5:21 \n"And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them."\n2 Nephi 30:6 \n". . . a white and delightsome people."\nThis is the reading of Joseph Smith's original 1830 edition. Smith changed the wording "white" to "pure" in the 1840 printing, though until 1982 the word "white" was again in use. \n\n3 Nephi 2:14-15 \n"And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites; and their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites. And their young men and their daughters became exceeding fair.."\nAccording to LDS theology, the Lamanites are the ancestors of the American Indians. In the verses above we see the unbelievable LDS teaching that the skin of the Lamanites would turn white upon conversion! \n\nJacob 3:8-9 \n"O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins "\nThese racist verses persist to this day, though, as mentoned, the word "white" has been replaced with "pure". \n\nAs recently as 1960, we read Spencer W. Kimball, later 12th President of the Mormon church, commenting on the Native American Indians as folows: \n\n"I saw a striking contrast in the progress of the Indian people today as against that of only fifteen years ago. Truly the scales of darkness aref allign from their eyes, and they are fast becoming a white and delight