What proof do Mormons have that all of Christianity ever fell into a Great Apostasy?

Question

When exactly do they think this happened? Have they considered the possibility that while the Catholic Church and subsequently the Protestants were in error that the True Church, the Orthodox Church, continued to exist and believe and worship as the Apostles had the whole time?

To the LDS individual who answered the question: Your answer presupposes that the martyrdom of the Apostles put an end to the True Church. It is from there that you make your leap. However, the Apostles were bishops and they had bishops who followed after them and so on and taught the very same thing that the Apostles had received from Christ. It seems that the only way you can buy the Mormon argument is if you accept that the martyrdom of the original Apostles spelled the end of the Church. But that is complete nonsense. In fact the martyrdom of the saints only made the Church stronger. At Pentecost Christ sent the Holy Spirit on the Apostles insuring that the He would always be with His Church.
So the question then becomes: which church teaches what the Apostles taught? It sure isn't the Mormon Church.

Answer 1

Proof. If the Catholic or Orthodox churches followed the teachings of Christ, there was no Apostasy. If they didn't there was. Each person can determine this for themselves. I see infant baptism, celebate clergy, and adoration of Mary as examples where they are in error. So I chose to believe there was an Apostasy. There are millions that believe in these things. I would say the Apostasy has occurred at least by the time of Constantine, when appointment to church offices become an act of state, not a calling from God.

Answer 2

It is very difficult to answer this question if one does not believe that the church was established 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ in 33 AD. A number of posters doubt Pentecost because they have fallen far away from grace or are agnostic or even downright athiest and hostile. The Apostles may have died but their followers continued on the Christian faith - back when the entire Christian faith was nondenominational (and not called Catholic or Orthodox or anything else).

Another poster states that Orthodox Christianity is in schism. That is an error - the Catholic church separated in 1054 AD rather than 757 AD. The Armenians and Copts are not in schism - they chose to separate themselves by not accepting certain Ecumenical Councils. Accepting those Ecumenical Councils will restore them to full communion with the Orthodox faith.

Mormonism is an extension from the Old Testament which states that Jesus preached to the American Indians. Mormonism was also founded by a convicted con artist who admitted in open court that these gold plates did not exist.

On the 3rd week of Lent, the Orthodox faith commemorates the Veneration of the Holy Cross which serves as a reminder that the Lenten cycle is halfway complete. Orthodox Christians take up the cross to follow Jesus and embrace all mankind in forgiveness.

Answer 3

This is a loaded and really, really biased question. My answer is this:
What proof do you have that the Orthodox (Eastern, I'm presuming?) Church is the "true" church? Someone told you so? You just "feel" it? Your Bible says so? A holy being communicated it to a mortal (prophet) who then spread the word? All of those reasons apply to Mormons, too. Everyone believes their own interpretation of a religion is correct, usually for those exact same reasons. I'm sure Mormons are no different.

Answer 4

2 Thes. 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: afor that day shall not come, except there come a bfalling away first."

Personally, I have prayed to know the truth of what I believe, and I have received an answer from God, letting me know that it is his word. The scriptures prophesy that there will be an apostacy before Christ returns again. I think it is easy to see by comparing the structure of Chrit's church to the churches of today that there was a falling away. When you look at cermony and the common beliefs taught, it is clear that Christ's word has been distorted, not by wickedness, but by a lack of revelation.

God speaks to man on earth today, he has a prophet who he has called to lead his work. If you deny this, it is clear that there has been an apostacy, because the very nature of apostacy is that there is no longer revelation. If you agree with that statement, you must ask yourself who that prophet is, and if you are receiving revelation yourself. In the end though, it is not proof that is needed, it is faith enough to ask God and let him confirm it in your heart through the Holy Ghost.

Answer 5

Not mean to offend other churches, but look at history.
This Apostasy started not too long after the death of Jesus, both within the church and outside the church. About 60 or 70 yrs AD, the apostles were killed. Mathew was slain, Mark was dragged through the streets, luke was hanged, John was banished to the Isle of Patmos, Peter was crucified, james was beheaded, James was beaten to death, Bartholomew was flayed alive, Andrew was bound to a cross, thomas was killed with a lance, Matthias was beheaded, Jude was shot with arrows, Barnabas was stoned, paul was beheaded.

The lost of Apostles, means the keys of the kingdom were also lost.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
(New Testament | Matthew 16:19 - 20)

In 313 AD, Constantine made the Apostate church into the religion of his realm, but where is the authority??
By 757 AD, it split into Greek Catholic and the Roman Catholic. By 1517 AD came the Protestant movement, and the rest of the separation follows, and the what Christ had set up is no more to be seen.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(New Testament | Ephesians 4:11 - 12)

The Church no longer have Apostles and Prophet because of the Apostasy.

1 NOW we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(New Testament | 2 Thessalonians 2:1 - 3)

1 THIS know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
(New Testament | 2 Timothy 3:1 - 5)

We LDS believe an Apostasy did happen, and the keys of the kingdom was lost, that is why there is a need for restoration of the Gospel. This does go against all other religions, yet, is it wrong to bring the truth back? How many times did God sent Prophets in the anceint times to call the people back when they fall away from the true path?

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
(New Testament | Ephesians 4:5 - 6)

Surely there is only one Church and one God.
If the church that Constantine pick up is correct with the keys, then there is no need for restoration of the Gospel.
But on the other hand, the need for restoration is absolutely essential.

I guess it come down to whether you believe if there is a key of authority. Do we need to be called by God, or just set up any church that suits our pleasure? Yet it would not take much to wander where are the calling of Apostles and prophets. And I wander how you judge the correctness of church teachings without following the scriptures as stated above?.

Answer 6

This is so sad... Brother against brother... just like the Sunnis and Shiiars, both are Islamic tribes but rather kill each other than reconcile.

In this case, Mormons vs Protestants vs Catholics vs et al, all are supposedly followers of the ONE true way of the Almighty Lord God and his Faultless Son who died for the sins of Humanity,

but followers would rather judge, castigate, criticise, condemn to eternal damnation, curse, belittle rather than inspire, encourage and uphold the heart and faiths of one another...

The apostle's and prophets' buried bodies are probably flipping over in their graves in shame... and thank goodness Jesus is in Heaven, if he was here, I think he'd revoke his sacrifice and migrate to the moon

Answer 7

and then of course they have every excuse in the world why they get away with stuff like the Mountain Meadow Massacre. The thing is is Jesus didn't divorce his Church. His children sin but his bride the Church is Holy because HIS goodness makes her that way.

Answer 8

mormons are slaves to their religion and do not inherit salvation because of false doctrrine