HELPING MORMONS FIND THE TRUTH

When Mormons comprehend that some valid points are being made against their church they usually become very defensive and bare their testimony. At that point they may try to silence those that are witnessing to them. One method they have often used is to say something like, "We do not attack anyone else's church, why are you attacking ours?" Through this tactic many people have been silenced. The answer to this however, is found in the Joseph Smith story printed in the Pearl Of Great Price. In the portion concerning the first vision verses 18 and 19 Joseph Smith claimed that the Lord told him he must join none of the existing churches quote, "for they were all wrong and the personage that addressed me said that their creeds were an abomination in His sight that those professors were all corrupt, that they draw near to me with their lips, that their hearts are far from me. They teach for doctrines the commandments of men having a form of godliness they deny the power thereof" end of quote. It is evident therefore that Mormonism itself is an attack on all Christian Churches. In chapter one of Mormonism Shadow or Reality, they have a number of quotations showing that Mormonism has perpetuated itself by getting investigators to feel that quote, "my church is false" end quote. Although we should not become obnoxious in dealing with Mormons, we must realize that their statement concerning not attacking other churches is merely a ploy to shame us into silence.

In 1851 one of their own apostles, Orson Pratt, made it very clear that the truth or falsity of Mormon claims needed to be discussed. In the pamphlet, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, published in Orson Pratt's Work, Apostle Pratt said that the Book of Mormon (BOM)was either true or false and that it was revealed for quote " the salvation of all who will receive it and for the overthrow and damnation of all nations who reject it" end quote. He claimed that people should investigate it carefully and if they find it true quote "we should utterly reject the Popish and Protestant ministry together with all the churches which have been built up by them or that have sprung from them as being entirely destitute of authority" end quote. On the other hand, Pratt frankly stated if the BOM is false quote, "it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep laid impositions every pawned upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely believe it as the Word of God and will suppose themselves securely built upon the rock of truth until they are plunged with their families into hopeless despair. The nature of the message in the BOM is such that if true no one can possibly be saved and reject it, if false no one can possibly be saved and receive it." end of quote.

Apostle Pratt went on to say quote, "if after a rigid examination it be found an imposition it should be extensively published to the world as such. The evidences and arguments on which the impostor was detected should be clearly and logically stated that those who had been sincerely yet unfortunately deceived may perceive the nature of the deception and be reclaimed and that those who continue to publish the delusion may be exposed and silenced not by physical force neither by persecutions their accretions or ridicule but by strong and powerful arguments by evidences induced from Scripture and reason. Such only should be the weapons employed to detect and overthrow false doctrines to reclaim mankind from their errors to expose religious enthusiasm and to put to silence base and wicked impostors." end of quotation.

It should be pointed out to Mormons that we are merely doing what their own apostle encouraged us to do. We have found a great deal of evidence against the BOM and the system which has been founded upon it. We wish to present this evidence not by physical force neither by persecutions, nor ridicule but, by strong and powerful arguments, by evidence from suppressed Mormon documents, and by evidence induced by scripture and reason. If Mormons remain blind, it is because they refuse to open their eyes and not because of the mountain of evidence that proves it to be false.

Orson Pratt's Practical Statement in: Joseph Fielding Smith, The Restoration of All Things, p.87 -- Orson Pratt's Works, 1851, pp. 124-5.

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FACING THE FACTS
P.O. Box 836
Dacula, GA 30019