CUL:Contradictions between the Book of Mormon and the Bible 2/22/87

   The following quotes examine what Mormon theology teaches as opposed
to what Christianity teaches.  CCN wishes to make clear this is not an
attack on Mormons, but a defense of what Christ taught.

   I.  ON THE NATURE OF GOD'S BEING:

   MORMONISM: "The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as
man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and
bones, but is a personage of spirit.  Were it not so,  the Holy Ghost
could not dwell in us." - Joseph Smith, Doctrine and Covenants, 130:22

   CHRISTIANITY: "God is spirit; and those who worship Him must 
worship in spirit and truth." - Jesus Christ, John 4:24

   II.  ON HOW MANY GODS EXIST:

   MORMONISM: "And then the Lord said: Let us go down.  And they went
down at the beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and 
formed the heavens and the earth." - Joseph Smith, (allegedly from a
translation of an ancient papyrus), Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 4:1

   CHRISTIANITY: "You are my witnesses, " declares the Lord, "And my
servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me,
and understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no  God formed, and
there will be none after Me." - Isaiah 43:10

   III.  ON WHO CAN BECOME A GOD:

   MORMONISM: "As man is now, God once was.  As God is now, man may 
become."

   CHRISTIANITY: "How have you fallen from heaven, O star of the
morning, son of the dawn!  You have been cut down to the earth, you who
have weakened nations!  But you have said in your heart, I will ascend
to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will
sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.  I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the
Most High.  Nevertheless you will be thrust  down to Sheol, to the
recesses of the pit." - Isaiah 14:12-15

   Read again Isaiah 43:10 and note that there were no Gods formed
before God and there will be none formed after.

   "Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us,
knowing good and evil: and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take
also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever -" - Genesis 3:22

   (note: some Mormons may claim that this verse "proves" the existence
of more than one God due to the words "like one of US". However, if you
notice, the verse, in context, reads "Then the LORD GOD (singular)
said, Behold, the man has become like one of US (plural)".  This verse
actually helps illustrate the existence of ONE GOD eternally existent
in THREE MINISTERING ENTITIES. Both verses show that it is not in God's
plan for man to be as God or to be a God.  Notice what Satan's "reward"
was for his attempt to make himself "like the Most High" ...  eternal 
damnation.)

   IV.  ON THE SOURCE & TESTING PROCESS OF DIVINE REVELATION:

   MORMONISM: "While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I
discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase
until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a
personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did
not touch the floor.  He had on a loose robe of most exquisite
whiteness.  ... He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a
messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was
Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; ...  He said there was a book
deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former
inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. 
He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained
in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;" - Joseph
Smith, The Origin of the Book of Mormon, the Book of Mormon

   CHRISTIANITY: "But though we, or an Angel from heaven, should preach
to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him
be accursed.  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is
preaching to you a gospel contrary to that  which you received, let him
be accursed." - the apostle Paul, Galatians 1:8-9

   (note: the Greek word for "accursed" used in this text is ANATHEMA,
translated the Divine Curse.  This is the only place in the entire
Bible this word is used, and it's use here underscores  the severity of
teaching false doctrines.)

   "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising
themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan 
disguises himself as an angel of light." - the apostle Paul, 2
Corinthians 11:13-14

   (note: some have asked how could Mormonism be wrong when the message
was delivered by an angel?  Consider 2 points: first, Satan can appear
as "an angel of light" and secondly, the messenger sent to Joseph Smith
brought teachings contradictory to previous revelations from God.  God
is not a God of confusion,  and will not contradict Himself.)

   V.  ON WHO ADAM WAS:

   MORMONISM: When our father, Adam, came into the Garden of Eden, he
came into it with a celestial body ...  he is our father and  God and
the only God with whom we have to do." - Brigham Young, April 9, 1852,
Journal of Discourses, Vol.  1, page 50

   CHRISTIANITY: "Then the Lord God formed man of the dust from the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and  man
became a living being." - Genesis 2:7

   VI.  Joseph Smith's boast elevating himself above Christ:

   "God is in the still small voice.  In all these affidavits,
indictments, it is all of the devil - all corruption.  Come on!  ye
prosecutors!  ye false swearers! All hell boil over! Ye burning
mountains, roll down your lava!  for I will come out on top at last.  I
have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has
ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. 
A large majority of the whole have stood by me.  Neither Paul, John,
Peter nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work
as I.  The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day
Saints never ran away from me yet" - Joseph Smith, History of the
Church, 6:408-9

   VII.  Check out the following verses dealing with:

   a.  Biblical prophesies dealing with the rise of cults and visions

   - 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

   - Colossians 2:18-23

   b.  "testing" of a prophet to see if they are of God

   - Deuteronomy 18:20-22

   - Deuteronomy 13:1-3
