Mormonism, started by self-proclaimed prophet Joseph Smith in the early 1800s, is a religion shrouded in mystery because most of us don’t know what they teach.  However, with its prominence coming to the forefront because of some famous Mormons who have been constantly paraded before us in the media, I thought it would a good idea to highlight some things not often told to the general public about Mormonism (also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or LDS). The quotes I use are from well-known present and past leaders within the Mormon Church.

► Mormonism teaches that Jesus Christ & Lucifer were spirit brothers in competition for being Savior of the World and that Lucifer rebelled when he wasn’t chosen.

“The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. …this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind.

“…Satan offered to come into the world as the Son of God and be the Redeemer. …With the rejection of his offer… Satan made open warfare against the Lord.” [Bruce McConkie (member of the First Council of the 70 & Quorum of the 12 Apostles of LDS), Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pp. 192-193]

■The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God [1 John 4:9], that Lucifer was an angel who rebelled in pride to take over God’s throne [Isaiah 14:12-14], and that Jesus Christ is superior to angels because he is God and is not any angel’s brother [Hebrews 1-2].

► Brigham Young, deceased president of the Mormons, said Eve was brought to Earth with her husband Michael the Archangel and Michael became Adam who is our Father and God.

“When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his many wives. …He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days… He is our Father and our God.” [Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, v. 1, pp. 50-51]

■ Genesis 2:7 says God made Adam from the dust of the ground and Genesis 2:21-22 says Eve was made from Adam’s rib.  The Bible also says the angels are created beings and were in heaven with God when he created Earth [Job 38:4-7], that Michael is protector of Israel [Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1], and that angels never marry nor are given in marriage [Mark 12:25]. Furthermore, God’s name is Jehovah [Exodus 6:3] and he is never called Michael.

► Mormonism says Adam & Eve didn’t really do anything bad.

“The fall of man came as a blessing in disguise… I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin… It is not always a sin to transgress the law.  This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin in the strict sense, for it was something that Adam and Eve had to do!” [Joseph Fielding Smith (10th president of the Mormon Church), Doctrines of Salvation, v. 1, pp. 114-115.]

■According to 1 John 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

► Mormons believe the Book of Mormon is better than the Bible.

“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct book of any on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” [Joseph Smith (founder), History of the Church, v. 4, p. 461]

■2 Samuel 22:31 says  “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried…” The Bible also says “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…” [Psalm 19:7].  In other words, the Bible is just fine as it is and cannot be improved.

► Mormon leaders teach that salvation by grace is Satanic and sins are forgiven by our works.

■”One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation…” [Spencer W. Kimball (12th president of the Mormon Church), The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 206]

“…however powerful the saving grace of Christ, it brings exaltation to no man who does not comply with the works of the gospel.” [Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 207]

■Romans 3:20 says “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight…” Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” A man who can save himself is a man who can take the glory away from God for that salvation.

► Mormon leaders have claimed that Jesus was a polygamist and had kids.

“…Jesus Christ was married at Cana of Galilee, that Mary, Martha, and others were his wives, and that he begat children.” [Journal of Discourses (sermons of early leaders of the Mormon Church), v. 2, p. 210]

■John 2 says Jesus went to the marriage at Cana because he and his disciples were called, or invited, to the wedding.  If he were the groom, he wouldn’t have to be invited.  The Bible also teaches that Jesus’ purpose for coming to Earth was to die for our sins and Jesus taught his time on Earth would be short, so getting married and having children were not his goals and he didn’t do either.

► Mormons don’t believe God is omnipresent.

“It has been said, therefore, that God is everywhere present; but this does not mean that the actual person of any one member of the Godhead can be physically present in more than one place at one time… It is impossible for Him to occupy at one time more than one space of such limits…” [James Edward Talmage (member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of LDS), Articles of Faith, p. 43]

■Proverbs 15:3 says “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

► Mormons believe your past sins can be placed back on you.

“…but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.” [Doctrines and Covenants (scriptural canon of LDS) 82:7]

■1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Hebrews 8:12 says “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

► Mormons believe those who died in their sins can leave hell.

“Repentance opens the prison doors to the spirits in hell; it enables those bound with the chains of hell to free themselves…” [Bruce McConkie (member of the First Council of the 70 & Quorum of the 12 Apostles of LDS), Mormon Doctrine, p. 755]

■In Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham said to the rich man in hell “…between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence,” [Luke 16:26].

► Mormon leaders have now hidden the fact that Joseph Smith was involved in the occult. The 1833 Book of Commandments was changed to the 1835 edition of Doctrines and Covenants and deleted his use of a divining rod.

“Now this is not all, for you have another gift, which is the gift of working with the [divining] rod: behold it has told you things: behold there is no other power save God, that can cause this [divining] rod of nature, to work in your hands…” [Book of Commandments (revelations of Joseph Smith Jr.) 7:3, 1833]

“Now this is not all thy gift, for you have another gift, which is the gift of Aaron; Behold there is no other power save the power of God, that can cause this gift of Aaron to be with you.” [Doctrines and Covenants 8:6-7]

■God made it clear he hates divination when he told Moses “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,” [Deuteronomy 18:10]

► Mormon leaders believe the moon is inhabited by humans.

“As far back as 1837, I know that [Joseph Smith] said the moon was inhabited by men and women the same as this earth, and that they lived to a greater age than we do…” [Oliver B. Huntington, The Young Woman's Journal, v. 3, p. 263]

“…a handful of astronauts didn’t see any inhabitants in the tiny area they viewed when they landed on the moon decades ago…man has no scientific or revealed knowledge of whether or not there are inhabitants on the earth’s moon.” [Stephen W. Gibson (Mormon leader & entrepreneur), One-Minute Answers to Anti-Mormon Questions, 1995, p. 80]

■With the powerful telescopes that we have available today that have looked at the moon, it is a scientific fact no humans live there and that the conditions on the moon are not conducive to humans living there.

► Joseph Smith was a Mason and incorporated Masonic rituals into Mormon ceremonies.

“I officiated as grand chaplain at the installation of the Nauvoo Lodge of Free Masons…I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.” [Joseph Smith, History of the Church, v. 4, pp. 550-552]

“Six weeks later, on May 2, 1842, Smith was teaching these Masonic secrets as his own ‘revelations’ to Mormon leaders as the temple Endowment.” [History of the Church, v. 4, pp. 550, 552]

■Freemasonry is a sanitized version of devil worship and 1 Corinthians 10:21 says “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”

Source: Richard and Cindy Benson.  Secrets Mormons Don’t Want You to Know. Ontario, Calif.: Chick Publications, ©2011.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–