I have written and rewritten this section to figure out the best way to introduce the next series of articles that I will write.
I was once a part of the mainline Mormon church. During my time with that organization, I struggled with what I was being told was truth. One thing that really made me question is the missing pieces and, with the LDS faith, there are a lot of missing pieces. While I had a problem with that, not many of the other followers did have a problem with that. There are some out there that still try to “justify” the errors or differences. There are so many things that don’t mesh with the doctrines of the Bible or even the doctrines of the Book of Mormon.
As I write this, I am not here to “bash” the Mormon church. All of its members are fellow human beings and we are all in the same boat together, we are all trying to find the way home. While many that I’ve talked to will adamantly stand by their faith, they do so not really knowing or understanding what they are teaching or defending. When confronted with discrepancies in their own scriptures and history, they fall to their fall back plan of burning bosoms.
The question I pose to everyone is “Do you know where you are going when you die?” If you are 100% sure, why?
A lot of people that I’ve talked to have discussed the burning in the bosom that was the promise of Moroni at the end of the Book of Mormon. He stated that if you wish to know the truth of these things, referring to the Book of Mormon, that if you prayed in earnest and asked God, he would witness to you these things were correct and you would have a burning in the bosom.
No offense to the LDS members, but do you really want to place your faith in a feeling? Wouldn’t you want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt? I struggled with putting my faith in a feeling from an imperfect heart. You get a feeling in your heart that these things are correct. Without truth, it is just a feeling. People who join cults will swear up and down that they know they are following the right person/god. They KNOW with all their heart. What does God say about our hearts? In Jeremiah 17:9, we are told that “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” There are a lot of situations where someone feels right in their heart but know in their brain there are bad decisions. By having all the facts, we can support or denounce the feelings we have. Truth will ring true in our hearts, our minds, and in our spirits.
There is another problem with that kind of faith in your heart that most people don’t see. Different cultures breed different responses to problems. Even today, people in larger cities respond differently to stimuli than people in rural areas. They think differently, feel differently, and sometimes even talk differently. That is just in this country. Then add different cultures, languages, forms of dress, races, etc. You come up with a lot of different ways to look at a problem. Some people feel differently about the same thing.
God is never changing. He doesn’t change because of the difference between Africans and Mexicans. His truth IS TRUTH. It survives not only culture but time as well.
Anyone who studies the Bible knows that Lucifer or Satan was an angel. He was the most brilliant and decorated angel in heaven. There is a physical description of how God adorned him. His sin, was the first sin and it was pride. He wanted to be above the angels and equal to God, his creator.
God loves each and every one of us. He does not want any of us to be lost but wants us to find our own way. He has given us prophets. He has given us scriptures. He has given us all these truths and they are complete. Nothing needs to be added, nothing needs to be taken away. Revelation 22:18 states, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
In the next series of posts, I will show the errors of the LDS faith comparing it to the Bible. I will also show how God provided us scientific proof of the things in the Bible and how they are absent in the Book of Mormon. I will also compare current LDS doctrine with original LDS doctrine and show how they are inconsistent with itself or with Bible doctrine.
The Bible is the complete and accurate word of God and can be used to refute not only LDS doctrine, but Darwinism and other doctrines claiming to be Christian but are not.
“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name claiming, “I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:11
“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24
Hello my dear brother. I’m writing to clear a little bit of confusion from this blog. For those of you reading this, I’m the little brother that stands by his LDS faith. And I am grateful for B and his truth for search because it has helped me open my eyes.
The clarification I would like to make is in reference to the “burning in the bosom” comments that B has made. I want to quickly quote Moroni 10:3-5 so that we all know what it says…”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. 5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
Nothing in there about the burning bosom. It does say that we will know the truth of it by the power of the Holy Ghost. The burning of the bosom comes from a revelation given through Joseph Smith to Oliver Cowdery during the translation of the Book of Mormon. The specific section is Doctrine and Covenants 9:8, after giving some specific instructions, the Lord tells Oliver through Joseph “8. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.” The burning of the bosom was meant for Oliver, but is one way that the Spirit can testify to us.
The idea of placing my faith in a feeling is one that I do pretty heavily. The Lord promised us in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” That tells us that we can learn from the Holy Ghost, and if we are going to learn from Him, wouldn’t he be able to testify to us.
To learn the truth, all we have to do is ask. In James 1:5-6 we read “5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
As far as the burning of the bosom, I haven’t felt that but we are told that the fruits of the spirit are “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
So as far as the truth, I’ll listen to the spirit because it will testify of the Lord. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” John 15:26. Basing my faith on a feeling from the Holy Ghost is ok for me because that is the way the Lord intended it.
I know my Savior, I know that He is loving and won’t change from yesterday to tomorrow and will help those that search will find the truth and the pathway home. I’m grateful for this search for truth, it is a very important one, and I’m glad that I can continue on this path with those I love.
By: tctmcg on July 29, 2007
at 11:32 am
My quoting of “burning bosoms” in the scripture was incorrect. The burning bosom comment is not in that scripture but many within the church have discussed the burning bosom and have interpreted the promise from Moroni to be as such. A lot within the church do claim that to be a part of the promise.
In the video “Bible vs. The Book of Mormon”, there was a scene where they were “interviewing” someone from the church. I say interviewing but, well, if you see the video, you will understand. That was what was promoted as well as many missionaries that promote that same thing.
Regardless, this blog is not about the “burning bosom”, it is about Christ. In 1 Thess. 5:21, we are told to “Prove all things.” In other translations, it says to “Test all things”, either way we are to search for the truth and that is what this is.
This post is an introductory and I look forward to posting more information regarding the truth of the Bible. I also look forward to the dialog that will ensue from this website. I also look forward to the inspiration to search the scriptures for truth.
By: wolfclan6 on July 29, 2007
at 4:45 pm