Trent Horn - 20 Answers- Mormonism

20 Answers

Mormonism

Trent Horn

20 Answers: Mormonism

Trent Horn

2015 Catholic Answers

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Although many find Mormons to be caring and wholesome people, that alone is not a good reason to join their church. In fact, that isnt good a reason to join any church. A person should join a church because its teachings are true, because Jesus Christ founded it to guide believers to salvation. This short booklet will not examine every Mormon doctrine or practice to see if its true, but rather focus on the most important areas of disagreement between Mormonism and Catholicism. Are Mormon teachings in those areas true or false?

I hope that Mormon readers will not think I am attacking their church. After all, Mormonism claims that the Catholic Church is not Christs true Church. Mormons believe that their church is the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.I would not label a Mormon believer who made such a claim an anti-Catholic. Instead, I would carefully listen to his arguments and see if he is right. I ask readers of this booklet, Mormon and non-Mormon alike, to extend me the same courtesy.

A note on terms: Because the Book of Mormon is their scripture, Latter-day Saints are also commonly called Mormons, and so this booklet also uses that term. Additionally, although LDS call themselves a church, from a Catholic perspective, strictly speaking, they are not. But for sake of simplicity, we will use the term here.

1. What is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and what makes it unique?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes it has restored the doctrines of the early Church that were lost shortly after the death of the apostles. Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) believe that this restoration began in the year 1820, when 14-year-old Joseph Smith Jr. prayed for guidance about which Church he should join. Smith claimed that while he was praying in a grove of trees in upstate New York, two personages identifying themselves as God the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him. They allegedly told Smith that he was to join none of the currently existing churches. The LDS official website says:

Over time, Joseph Smith was chosen to establish Christs Church and restore the priesthood, or the authority to act in Gods name. He was led by God to an ancient record and given the ability to translate it into English. This record is called the Book of Mormon. He continued to pray and receive revelation for the Church throughout his life. These revelations were compiled into a book of scriptures referred to as the Doctrine and Covenants and shows that God still leads His children today. Joseph Smith formally organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830.

As the Mormons spread throughout the Midwest, they came into conflict with other settlers who viewed their lifestyle and beliefs as a threat to the public wellbeing. Because of this conflict, most of the Mormons, including Smith, left Missouri and founded the town of Nauvoo, Illinois.

In 1844, several former leaders within the LDS church published a newspaper called The Nauvoo Expositor that accused Joseph Smith of introducing false and damnable doctrines into the Church.The Nauvoo city council, where Smith served as the towns mayor, declared the paper a nuisance and ordered its destruction.

In response to the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositors printing press, the governor of Illinois ordered Joseph Smith to surrender himself to the authorities. Smith and his brother Hyrum were later arrested and held in the Carthage city jail on charges of treason. On June 27, 1844, an armed mob stormed the jail and engaged in a shootout with Smith while he was still in custody. Smith used a pistol that had been smuggled into the jail to fire several shots at his attackers before he was fatally wounded.

Smiths close friend Brigham Young succeeded him as head of the church, and the entire church moved west to Salt Lake City, where its headquarters exists to this day.

It is estimated that, as of 2013, there were more than 15 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Along with its fundamental doctrines about God, Christ, and salvation, Mormonism is distinct from Christian churches in the following ways:

Most Christian churches believe that only the Bible is the inspired written word of God. But, according to their eighth article of faith, Mormons believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. Mormons believe that the works Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are as inspired as the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Together these four works are called the standard works and represent the Mormon canon of scripture. The LDS church publishes its own edition of the Bible and uses the King James Version for its translation.

While other informal writings by Church leaders are viewed as valuable aids to understanding the Mormon faith, they are not considered canonical scripture or official Church doctrine. That is why this booklet tries to examine Mormon doctrine using, as much as possible, only citations from one of these four standard works and not the writings of early Mormon leaders.

Most Christian churches believe that public divine revelation ceased after the death of the last apostle. But, according to their ninth article of faith, Mormons believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Mormons believe that God can reveal new doctrine to believers through the announcements of the Churchs president who is considered to be, a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.

2. What are some common myths about the LDS church?

Before we examine the differences between the LDS church and the Catholic Church, we should refute some common myths about the Mormon faith:

Mormons practice polygamy.

Mormons do not currently practice polygamy, meaning they do not enter into marriages with more than one spouse at the same time.In an October 1998 General Conference, former LDS president Gordon Hinkley said, If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the church can impose.

This myth is derived from the fact that the LDS church did practice polygamy in its early years. In 1843, Joseph Smith announced that God had revealed to him that polygamy was morally acceptable. This was then recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 132:6166. Todd Compton, who is a practicing Mormon and a professional historian, has shown that Joseph Smith had at least thirty-three wives who were unofficially sealed to him in marriage.

In the late 1800s, the United States government outlawed polygamy and prosecuted Mormons who engaged in the practice. However, the conflict between the church and the state began to dissipate in 1890 when LDS president Wilford Woodruff claimed he received a revelation from God saying that Mormons should no longer engage in polygamy.

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