This was my first encounter with Mormon missionaries. They also call themselves “The Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS)”.
I do not support the heresies/cult of Mormonism, but this transcript of our dialogue is for reference only, to be able to better understand their positions on the true Gospel and their position in their false teaching.
Also, I want the reader to note that I had to ask my questions in a very specific way, because generally they won’t get into the details of what they believe unless you really dig deep.
Examples include:
- Using “beings/entities” instead of “persons” of the Trinity, since there is a difference in their theology
- Twisting Scripture to fit the concepts found in the Book of Mormon
- Saying that we won’t be God, but be just like Him in every exact way, but that isn’t the same thing as “being God”
- Saying that their beliefs don’t contradict the Bible, when they do in fact contradict the Bible (Scripture)
Them: Hell/Sheol is just spirit prison
Them: Jesus/Apostles moved from middle East to Americas in 500BC
Them: We use the KJV of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Them: We are spirit children in heaven before we are born
Them: The Book of Mormon was written in 1830, in a surprising 43 days.
Me: Where are the other prophets?
Them: Joseph Smith translated works from the earlier prophets, written in reformed Egyptian (which is different than regular ancient Egyptian). (Dodged the question)
Me: What other works can be found in the Reformed Egyptian language?
Them: We don’t know of any
Me: Can I Google the names of these Reformed Egyptian works so that I may read them directly?
Them: We don’t know the names of them, but then they’d also be in Reformed Egyptian not English, so that’s why we read the Book of Mormon
Me: Now, there were 66 Biblical scholars, filled with the Holy Spirit to translate the KJV of the Bible. Even then, there are currently translation errors in the KJV of the Bible. How do you determine that Joseph Smith translated them properly as he was only one guy?
Them: He got it right because he was a prophet.
Me: Are you sure? You said that he was the only translator on this project, I’d be hard-pressed to believe that there were no errors.
Them: Yes, there were no errors.
Me: How is book of Mormon correct and the JW Watchtower not correct?
Them: The Book of Mormon doesn’t contradict Bible at all.
Me: Do you believe in the three persons of the Trinity?
Them: There are separate beings/entities, but One God.
Me: What’s the difference between “persons” and “beings/entities”?
Them: They are the same
Them: There’s no Scripture that states that Jesus was God.
Me: There’s multiple Scripture, esp. “Before Abraham was I AM”, and “I and the Father are one”. What do those Scriptures mean to you?
Them: It means they [The Father and Jesus] have [came to accomplish] the same purpose.
Me: Is God eternal?
Them: Yes
Me: Is there anyone like God?
Them: Yes, Scripture in Romans says “joint heirs with Christ”. There’s also “Eternal progression” -> from the idea that we should be “be perfect as the Father in heaven is perfect”. In heaven we will be progressing and learning more.
Me: Does this mean there is sin in Heaven if you say there is something to progress to?
Them: No. We are sinless in Heaven.
Me: Is there a difference between sinless and perfect?
Them: Yes
Me: Will we be God/”join to him”?
Them: We will be like God, but not God Himself.
Me: In what ways will we be like God?
Them: In every sense.
Me: Will we be all-powerful as God is all-powerful?
Them: Yes, eventually on an eternal timescale. It will take time since God is infinite
Me: How is that not like being God Himself?
Them: (dodged question)
Me: If you progress, there is something to process to -> a goal. What are we progressing to? What is the finish line?
Them: The end is to be like God. In every sense, we will be perfectly perfect.
Me: Thinking about the hierarchy of God and His created beings, (motioning with my hands) If God is up here, and angels are below Him, and humans are below that, and so forth with animals and plants, where will we humans be in Heaven? As Isaiah 6 says: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty”, meaning there is nothing on the same level as God. Do you believe that we will be on the same level as God?
Them: Yes
Me: The Book of Mormon is a secondary device used to interpret Scripture just like the Jewish idea of the Kabbalah, correct? If so, do you also use the Kabbalah to interpret Old Testament Scripture?
Them: No, We don’t use the Jewish Kabbalah to interpret Scripture, but also the Book of Mormon isn’t to interpret the Bible. It’s another set of Scripture.
Me: Does that mean it’s equal in authority to Scripture?
Them: Yes.
Them: If you are still interested, check out the concept of “Eternal Families”
The discussion that I had probably reflects at least 95% (or more) of what the Mormon church actually believes, as every missionary is an “elder” in status. These were two kids, about 18-19 years old, named “E” and “L” (names redacted for privacy). Unfortunately, while we had a long discussion, I did not have the opportunity to preach the Gospel to them as our time was cut short. Please pray for them that receive the true Gospel of Christ and that this was a good way that God used to sow good seed into their hearts.
<Original work by BenBRockN. Feel free to reblog, ONLY if you give credit to the original author (me). Thanks!>