Mormon Temple

As a missionary in South America for 25 years working with cult ministries and now once again as a pastor in Alabama, it is discouraging to me when someone, especially a Baptist, is fooled by a cult. Of course, if we only listen to what they say, their religion may sound good, but the Mormons especially are masters of deception, both by hiding some doctrines and changing the definition of many words.

Although a Mormon will not volunteer to tell you so, their scriptures teach that theirs is the only true and living church on earth (Doctrines and Covenants 1:30). As they say, if you do not belong to their church, then you belong to the Devil’s church (Book of Mormon, I Nephi 14:10). In the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith History 1:19, it says that the doctrines (creeds) of all the other churches are an abomination before God and that all their members are corrupt. Obviously, you are not going to hear this on television, but it is in their scriptures.

Real communication can only be done verbally when there is agreement on definitions of words, as found in a good dictionary if questions arise. However, Mormons have been taught completely different definitions of almost all the words that relate to faith and religion.  To a Mormon, the meanings of God, God the Father, Jesus Christ, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, sin, repentance, salvation, born again, grace, heaven, and most other words Mormons use are completely different from the accepted English-language definition. So if it sounds like a Mormon is agreeing with a Christian, it is because there is no real communication.

Some Baptists were impressed by the new Mormon temple simply because they did not understand its purpose.

Since Mormons teach that there is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith, they do temple works to “provide salvation” for those who accept him after death. But all of the temple works are done so that the males who do them can become “Gods” (not gods) like the God who created this earth. They think that they will create their own world and that their goddess wives will have one “spirit baby” after another in eternity to populate that world. Yes, this is what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in Genesis 3:5, and this is the basis and hope of Mormonism.

We Christians must speak up to tell the truth about Jesus Christ and also the dangers of false religions, as the love of Christ constrains us.

Ed Ables
Birmingham, Ala.