The Bible instructs us not to pray about truth but to "search the Scriptures":
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11
Even more, Mormons ask unbelievers, those who "turn their ears away from listening to the law", to pray about truth, when the Bible says that their prayers are an abomination to God.
"He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." - Proverbs 28:9
Why would someone base "truth" on a subjective feeling?
Haven't you ever "felt" something was right, only to find out later that you were dead wrong?
How do you know that your "burning in the bosom" is not heartburn?
Why aren't proselytes encouraged to search the Scriptures to determine if Joseph Smith was a true prophet?
2006-11-17 00:20:15 · 7 answers · asked by 5solas 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
All good points. That is just the way they do things, you didn't expect them to be biblical about it? Their scriptures that they hold are the book of mormon, the pearl of great price and the DandC. The bible is just a side note to them.
2006-11-17 00:37:10 · answer #1 · answered by newcovenant0 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just like there is NO archaeological proof of any of the tribes or wars or cities the mormons claim were here. Cities that were around thousands of years before this Mormon belief, as well as wars and such, all have archaeological proof. But nothing, not one thing, has EVER been shown for this. They claim animals that were not here during that time, metals not present at the time, and many, many more fallacies.
The Lord told us there would be false prophets and those that would come in His name, and not to believe them. There is also a test in the Bible for prophets, and Joseph Smith fails miserably. The angel moroni he met was nothing more than a demon. He and muhammed should have been brothers!
Also, how about those baptisms for the dead! WOO-HOO! Now there is something great. Live you life how you want, refuse to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord & Saviour, die in your sins, and just as things start getting a bit toasty, someone can step in and get baptized for you and you are saved. Now baptism is a commandment from the Lord to show a confession of faith and changing your life. Suddenly after death it is the way to become saved? Now if that isn't blasphemous and totally discount what Jesus did on the Cross, nothing is!!
More on the LDS here.....
http://planttel.net/~meharris1/mikescorner.html
2006-11-17 08:52:49 · answer #2 · answered by green93lx 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Who better to ask if something is right and true than the Lord? That is why we pray to him, he will reveal truth through the Holy Ghost, the Comforter...there is no other way to know truth - unless of course you are a sign seeker and need "physical" evidence....
We do encourage to read the scriptures, and ASK if they are true. How else will you know - whom else do you trust enough with your eternal salvation??? I will trust the Lord, thanks.
Moro. 10: 3-4
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
I ask again - WHOM BETTER TO REVEAL TRUTH THAN THE LORD??? Why NOT ask Him???
******BY THE WAY - Joseph was not given the plates by an "angel" it was a resurrected man - the prophet Moroni. There is also a way to discern between angel, resurrected man, and an evil spirit...
2006-11-18 18:09:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible instructs us not to pray about truth but to "search the Scriptures Because the bible was created to stop people from following the revelatory messages that God gives to each of us every day.
Love and blessings Don
2006-11-17 08:45:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Why would someone base "truth" on a subjective feeling?
I you ask this then the whole christian concept will be wrong.Since it is based on faith and believe that Jesus died for sins.If you realy study the bible in hebrew, then christianity won't make all that much sense.
But you are correct that one must study the scriptures and pray only to thank,praise God, for fellow humans and for guidance
2006-11-17 08:48:05 · answer #5 · answered by Veritas 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost, will manifest the truth to you--provided you ask sincerely and in a contrite heart. That is in the Bible too.
Once you learn that Joseph Smith had been called of God you can then be ready to accept the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, which is another testament of Jesus Christ.
If you choose to fight against the light of certain truths then you will remain in darkness.
2006-11-17 08:32:40 · answer #6 · answered by Guitarpicker 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I'm not a Mormon, but I disagree with your conclusion that we are not to pray to God for enlightenment. I think the Bible commands us to do so in certain situations. For example, Jesus told us to persist in prayer at Matthew 7:
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
There are many OT passages where God tells us it's important to ask Him for knowledge. Consider Proverbs 8:17 "I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me." This essentially repeats Jesus' message at Matthew 7.
If we don't come to God with ALL of our needs, we're depriving ourselves of the opportunity for God to instruct us. HOWEVER, any instruction we feel we've received MUST conform with the Bible.
So it is only by "asking, seeking and knocking" that we find what God wants of us. As part of this process, after we have prayed, we can seek Him by speaking with a mature Christian, who will guide us using Biblical knowledge.
With regard to asking God about Joseph Smith, I believe God does answer this prayer, by providing His words in the Bible and by providing mature Christians who can guide the seeker. Unfortunately, Mormons have not taken advantage of this process. A mature Christian would point the seeker to passages such as Galatians 1:8-9:
8 "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."
As you know, Joseph Smith was given the "Book of Mormon" by an "angel;" I'm sure you also know Satan can transform himself into an "angel of light" to lead us into sin (2 Cor. 11:14). Such is the case with Joseph Smith and anyone who turns from the true Gospel to follow him.
Peace.
2006-11-17 09:11:11 · answer #7 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋