How Biblically Literate are Mormons as a Whole?

[Moksha]

My daughter was inquiring about the celebration of Christmas at Hogwarts. Did Joseph give any hints that Jesus was a wizard?

[MG 2.0]

"How Biblically literate are Mormons as a whole?"

How Bibically literate are critics as a whole?

Hard to say, right?

Same answer to your question I would think.

Regards,
MG

[sock puppet]

"How Biblically literate are Mormons as a whole?"

How Bibically literate are critics as a whole?

Hard to say, right?

Same answer to your question I would think.

Regards,
MG

If the critic was raised as a Mormon as opposed to some other, more mainstream stripes of Christianity, such critic would not be as well versed in the Bible. Mormons don't embrace the New Testament and the Four Gospels particularly as much as mainstream Christianity does.

[Marcus]

If the critic was raised as a Mormon as opposed to some other, more mainstream stripes of Christianity, such critic would not be as well versed in the Bible. Mormons don't embrace the New Testament and the Four Gospels particularly as much as mainstream Christianity does.

It was kind of you to spell this out, as your answer is obviously implied in your op:

... My point with this vignette is not the morality or not. Rather, it is that someone can attend Mormon church services for more than 45 years and not know of such a basic, rudimentary teaching about proper attitudes and conduct set forth in the Bible...

This has been my experience as well. Seeing the LDS church push so hard now to be considered Christian is odd.

[MG 2.0]

How Bibically literate are critics as a whole?

Hard to say, right?

Same answer to your question I would think.

Regards,
MG

If the critic was raised as a Mormon as opposed to some other, more mainstream stripes of Christianity, such critic would not be as well versed in the Bible. Mormons don't embrace the New Testament and the Four Gospels particularly as much as mainstream Christianity does.

I don't know that this is true. In Priesthood meeting today a number of the scriptures that were used during the lesson were from the Bible. And that's not out of the ordinary.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

Seeing the LDS church push so hard now to be considered Christian is odd.

To an outsider, this might be true. For those of us that are members of the church and have remained active we can see that Jesus Christ has ALWAYS been the mainstay/core of everything in the church.

Joseph Smith taught this from the outset.

Prompt: Did Joseph Smith teach that everything in the LDS church comes back to Jesus Christ?

Joseph Smith’s Teachings: Centrality of Jesus Christ in the LDS Church
Joseph Smith’s Role in Restoring Christ’s Church

Joseph Smith consistently taught that the foundation and purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ Himself. According to official LDS sources, Joseph Smith was called by Jesus Christ to restore His gospel and His Church to the earth after a period of apostasy, making Christ the center of the restored faith. In his own words, Joseph Smith declared, “After the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22). This underscores that his prophetic mission and the church he established were fundamentally Christ-centered.

Core Doctrines and Ordinances Point to Christ

Joseph Smith taught that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: “first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4). These principles are explicitly focused on Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and the means of salvation.

Restoration of Authority and Teachings about Christ

Smith’s teachings emphasized that the authority to act in God’s name (the priesthood) and the ordinances performed in the Church were restored by Jesus Christ and are intended to bring individuals to Christ. The organization of the church, its priesthood, and its ordinances—including temple work and sealing—were all described as preparatory for the Second Coming of the Savior and as means to connect individuals and families to Jesus Christ.

Revelation and Christ-Centered Messages

Joseph Smith’s revelations and translations, such as the Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses, consistently testify of Jesus Christ and His divine mission. He taught that the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Messiah of the New Testament are the same being—Jesus Christ, the Living Christ. He also clarified that Christ-centered messages are not limited to ancient scripture but are ongoing through modern revelation.

I think that what you said is odd...although you may not think so being the critic that you are. You are blind as to what the church is all about.

Regards,
MG

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Seeing the LDS church push so hard now to be considered Christian is odd.

To an outsider, this might be true. For those of us that are members of the church and have remained active we can see that Jesus Christ has ALWAYS been the mainstay/core of everything in the church.

Joseph Smith taught this from the outset.

Prompt: Did Joseph Smith teach that everything in the LDS church comes back to Jesus Christ?

Joseph Smith’s Teachings: Centrality of Jesus Christ in the LDS Church
Joseph Smith’s Role in Restoring Christ’s Church

Joseph Smith consistently taught that the foundation and purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ Himself. According to official LDS sources, Joseph Smith was called by Jesus Christ to restore His gospel and His Church to the earth after a period of apostasy, making Christ the center of the restored faith. In his own words, Joseph Smith declared, “After the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22). This underscores that his prophetic mission and the church he established were fundamentally Christ-centered.

Core Doctrines and Ordinances Point to Christ

Joseph Smith taught that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: “first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Articles of Faith 1:4). These principles are explicitly focused on Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and the means of salvation.

Restoration of Authority and Teachings about Christ

Smith’s teachings emphasized that the authority to act in God’s name (the priesthood) and the ordinances performed in the Church were restored by Jesus Christ and are intended to bring individuals to Christ. The organization of the church, its priesthood, and its ordinances—including temple work and sealing—were all described as preparatory for the Second Coming of the Savior and as means to connect individuals and families to Jesus Christ.

Revelation and Christ-Centered Messages

Joseph Smith’s revelations and translations, such as the Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses, consistently testify of Jesus Christ and His divine mission. He taught that the Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Messiah of the New Testament are the same being—Jesus Christ, the Living Christ. He also clarified that Christ-centered messages are not limited to ancient scripture but are ongoing through modern revelation.

I think that what you said is odd...although you may not think so being the critic that you are. You are blind as to what the church is all about.

Regards,
MG

The church has never been about Jesus Christ. You really think Christ would approve of spending more covering up child sexual abuse than feeding the poor? You really think Christ would approve of lying/deceiving and being fined by the SEC, hoarding 300 billion dollars, buying a billion dollars worth of Visa stock that charges 20% interest to poor people? Would Christ require you to buy special underwear and make a profit from doing so? Would Christ institute polygamy? Would Christ create a temple ceremony mirrored after Masonic rituals/handshakes that would change every few years? Would Christ ban blacks for over 150 years from holding the priesthood? Would Christ require you to wear a white shirt? Would Christ spend tens of millions on a temple in your city that no one could enter except a privileged few? Would Christ treat women as second class citizens? Would Christ exclude gays? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles, but not give them the ability to accurately reveal anything? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood without the ability to actually heal anyone (do you have the faith not to be healed)? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood authority without the ability to perform miracles?

Harsh words, but anyone can pick up the New Testament and read few first books to quickly realize the church is not the church of Christ. Not even close.

[MG 2.0]

To an outsider, this might be true. For those of us that are members of the church and have remained active we can see that Jesus Christ has ALWAYS been the mainstay/core of everything in the church.

Joseph Smith taught this from the outset.


I think that what you said is odd...although you may not think so being the critic that you are. You are blind as to what the church is all about.

Regards,
MG

The church has never been about Jesus Christ. You really think Christ would approve of spending more covering up child sexual abuse than feeding the poor? You really think Christ would approve of lying/deceiving and being fined by the SEC, hoarding 300 billion dollars, buying a billion dollars worth of Visa stock that charges 20% interest to poor people? Would Christ require you to buy special underwear and make a profit from doing so? Would Christ institute polygamy? Would Christ create a temple ceremony mirrored after Masonic rituals/handshakes that would change every few years? Would Christ ban blacks for over 150 years from holding the priesthood? Would Christ require you to wear a white shirt? Would Christ spend tens of millions on a temple in your city that no one could enter except a privileged few? Would Christ treat women as second class citizens? Would Christ exclude gays? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles, but not give them the ability to accurately reveal anything? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood without the ability to actually heal anyone (do you have the faith not to be healed)? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood authority without the ability to perform miracles?

Harsh words, but anyone can pick up the New Testament and read few first books to quickly realize the church is not the church of Christ. Not even close.

Harsh words, but each one of these 'bits' have answers and/or ways of approaching them in which at the end of the day, as I said, "Jesus Christ has ALWAYS been the mainstay/core of everything in the church".

Unfortunately, many lose sight of that fact.

Regards,
MG

[Marcus]

The church has never been about Jesus Christ. You really think Christ would approve of spending more covering up child sexual abuse than feeding the poor? You really think Christ would approve of lying/deceiving and being fined by the SEC, hoarding 300 billion dollars, buying a billion dollars worth of Visa stock that charges 20% interest to poor people? Would Christ require you to buy special underwear and make a profit from doing so? Would Christ institute polygamy? Would Christ create a temple ceremony mirrored after Masonic rituals/handshakes that would change every few years? Would Christ ban blacks for over 150 years from holding the priesthood? Would Christ require you to wear a white shirt? Would Christ spend tens of millions on a temple in your city that no one could enter except a privileged few? Would Christ treat women as second class citizens? Would Christ exclude gays? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles, but not give them the ability to accurately reveal anything? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood without the ability to actually heal anyone (do you have the faith not to be healed)? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood authority without the ability to perform miracles?

Harsh words, but anyone can pick up the New Testament and read few first books to quickly realize the church is not the church of Christ. Not even close.

Not to mention that LDS thought directly disagrees with Christian thought in many basic areas. But, your list above is what really matters, and it is damning.

[MG 2.0]

The church has never been about Jesus Christ. You really think Christ would approve of spending more covering up child sexual abuse than feeding the poor? You really think Christ would approve of lying/deceiving and being fined by the SEC, hoarding 300 billion dollars, buying a billion dollars worth of Visa stock that charges 20% interest to poor people? Would Christ require you to buy special underwear and make a profit from doing so? Would Christ institute polygamy? Would Christ create a temple ceremony mirrored after Masonic rituals/handshakes that would change every few years? Would Christ ban blacks for over 150 years from holding the priesthood? Would Christ require you to wear a white shirt? Would Christ spend tens of millions on a temple in your city that no one could enter except a privileged few? Would Christ treat women as second class citizens? Would Christ exclude gays? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles, but not give them the ability to accurately reveal anything? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood without the ability to actually heal anyone (do you have the faith not to be healed)? Would Christ appoint a prophet and apostles and give them His priesthood authority without the ability to perform miracles?

Harsh words, but anyone can pick up the New Testament and read few first books to quickly realize the church is not the church of Christ. Not even close.

Not to mention that LDS thought directly disagrees with Christian thought in many basic areas. But, your list above is what really matters, and it is damning.

I am not surprised that there are differences in Restoration beliefs vs. traditional Christianity.

Wang's list doesn't matter all that much because it is simply a long sound bite without any explanation/meat. It doesn't go into any detail on anything at all.

And then you take it hook, line, and sinker?

You ought to be a bit more disciplined/curious than that. Those are all good questions that would require threads, if not books and essays, on their own.

Which has, as you know, already been done in response to many of these questions. You could do your own research and see that this is more than likely true. But I ain't gonna do it for you.

What I can say is that I have given most of these 'bullet points' some consideration. I don't lose any sleep over them...although at one time I might have.

Regards,
MG