A MORMON FOR PRESIDENT? LEARN THE MORMON CHURCH'S SECRET AGENDA FOR AMERICA

A personal note: Before I move into my commentary, I thought I'd let you know that I had to make a decision about this blog. Up until now, I have been trying to post something new once a week and, time-wise, it is proving too much for me.
For example, I literally spend all day at the computer on various writing matters, and spend at least two hours or more just responding to emails. My time is also taken up with researching articles and getting them ready to post, not just for this blog, but also for my other website. Further, I have the manuscript of my new novel to fine-tune and can't seem to get to it. Plus, I have other books I plan to write. So, I have decided that instead of a new commentary every week, I'm going to shoot for every two weeks and try that out. I may even alternate with more casual commentaries. And yes, I know that's what a blog is mainly for--just casual chit-chat; but, I haven't quite been able to do that yet. I guess I'm just too academically-geared; although this new necessity may force me to learn how. Ha!

So, now to the subject at hand . . .

Mitt Romney's run for the Presidency is a hot debate for evangelical Christians. Reservations are mostly centered on Mormon beliefs. But instead, could there be something else to explore? Could there be another fact to a Mormon's Presidential candidacy that the majority of Americans have never heard about? The answer is, Yes. Does the LDS Church want you to know about it? No. And that's the way they'd like to keep it.

But first, let's briefly address what Christians presently wrestle with--Mormon beliefs. Here are a few:

• God is not a triune being, but a resurrected man from a previous world who earned his Godhood.

• God is a polygamist; a necessity in order to produce the number of spirit children who come to earth.

• In heaven a Mormon man will become a God, have many wives, and rule over his own planet.

• There is salvation after death, obtained through Jesus Christ plus the endorsement of Joseph Smith.

• Exaltation (a higher form of salvation) is obtained only through the LDS Church and its temple rituals.

Many Christians feel that Mormon theology should be the criteria in determining how they vote. But consider this question: Would any of those beliefs actually affect a president's decisions in the White House? I suggest they would not. How would believing that God is a resurrected man have any bearing on governmental decision-making, war or foreign policy? None. Nevertheless, a Mormon's beliefs are important to 41% of Evangelicals; although there are others, like Rev. Franklin Graham, who say they can allow for a Mormon's beliefs if he is the most qualified to get our country back on track. The following are thoughts to consider.

What you may not know

The LDS Church has a private agenda that could have tie-ins with a Mormon's candidacy for President. Church leaders, of course, won't acknowledge this agenda, and would be quick to remind one that the LDS Church believes in separation of church and state. But those who understand the deeper mindset of the Mormon vision know better. And yes, the LDS Church does believe in separation of church and state; but what the public doesn't know, is about the church's long-time secretive organization called the "Government of God," a political organization separate from the church, but directed by the Mormon Priesthood.

The Mormon Church's behind-the-scene organization

First, a little history is necessary. Joseph Smith set up two organizations:

1. A public one. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (originally, "The Church of Christ"), with its familiar theology.
2. A secret one. An organization called the "Government of God" (also called the Kingdom of God), a political entity separate from the church, but directed by the priesthood and ruled by a Council of Fifty, all of whom were sworn to secrecy about its existence under penalty of death. All Presidents of the church were to also be the President of the Council. Its aim was to gradually turn America into a Mormon Theocracy. Why? In order to have a Mormon-run government already in place at the Second Coming when Jesus acknowledges the LDS Church as the only true church. The Council was to encourage as many Mormons into political office as they could. While the priesthood-run Council was free to involve themselves in political matters, the Church, a separate construct, was not.

Is the Government of God still in existence today?

It would be difficult to prove because of its secrecy. However, in Jerald and Sandra Tanner's book, Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? they say that they contacted a Mormon who claimed to have spoken with LDS Apostle, B.H. Roberts (who died in 1933), "in which Roberts claimed that the Council of Fifty was established by revelation and would always be a part of the church." Historian, Klaus Hansen, in Quest for Empire, stated that since "world government was one of the Council's primary missions," modern-day Church leaders are not going to do away with it. (p. 65) Drs. John Heinerman and Anson Shupe, in The Mormon Corporate Empire, state that as late as 1945 the Council of Fifty still operated within Mormonism. (p. 20)

Assuming it is still in existence, here's an example of how double-speak can be used by church leaders to deny any involvement with a presidential candidate. When the First Presidency of the church issues a public statement saying that the LDS Church does not endorse political candidates nor attempts to direct or dictate to a governmental leader, they are stating the truth for they are speaking about the "church." Their statement does not apply to the "Government of God" or its Council of Fifty. Therefore, the Government of God, of which the LDS Church President is president, can be free to direct or dictate to a governmental leader.

However, even if the Council no longer exists, it makes no difference. The principles are still believed by those at the head of the Church. Whoever runs for political office is important to them. The LDS Church's Political Manifesto of 1896 (quoted in Tanner's book, p. 423), states that men wanting to run for office who hold high church positions must first obtain the approval and permission of those who preside over them. Mitt Romney, therefore, had to receive approval from the First Presidency to run for President, although he probably not admit to this. It is also unknown if that approval came from the First Presidency acting for the Church, or acting in their capacity as the Council of Fifty's Government of God. Whichever the case, the candidate would understandably, be subject to them. This subjection suggests that once a Presidential candidate acquires office, LDS leaders may try to persuade him on issues. Are there any examples of this ever happening before? Yes.


In 1965, LDS President David O. McKay and his two counselors tried to influence eight Mormon congressmen and three senators. They asked them to vote to repeal Section 14B of the Taft Hartley Act. One Congressman said he would, but only because he already felt so inclined. Five signed a letter saying they would not. Whether President McKay and his counselors were acting in behalf of the "Government of God" or the LDS Church is difficult to determine.

Would Romney succumb to influence?
No one can say for sure. With his strong ties to the church it would seem that regardless of what he states publicly, he would. Why? Because he believes President Thomas S. Monson is God's mouthpiece on earth. What faithful Mormon would ignore that? On the other hand, knowing the high standards that the Mormon Church holds, perhaps any attempted persuasion by leaders would merely consist of pushing ideal American values. But if the Government of God's Council of Fifty still exists, LDS leaders acting in that capacity could attempt to use their influence to achieve its political agenda of a theocracy; perhaps influence the President to promote more Mormons to positions. There are those who believe this agenda is very real. Authors Heinerman and Shupe pose the question:

"Will the church be successful in gaining its political objective?" [Their answer] . . . "Their success [will be] directly related to general public ignorance about their methods and ends." (p. 28)

Conclusion
Whether the Government of God still exists today or not, LDS leaders still retain the church's long-held vision of America becoming a theocracy, and would like to see a Mormon majority in political positions. This is not because they are power-hungry in an evil sense, but because they honestly believe that their church is the only one God endorses and they want to see God's government already in place by the time Jesus ushers in the Millennium.

Christians, faced with the dilemma of supporting a Mormon Presidential candidate, need to consider these questions:

• If Mitt Romney (or any Mormon) becomes President, will he succumb to the private bidding of LDS leaders, or be his own man?

• Would that bidding by leaders merely consist of pushing for ideal American values, or would it have more political ramifications?

• Could a Mormon's election as President and his subsequent appointment of other Mormons to positions possibly have a long-range goal of a Mormon take-over?

• Since America was established as a Christian nation, does supporting a Mormon candidate conflict with that?

• Should the theology of a Mormon Presidential candidate be inconsequential so long as he lives a Christian lifestyle and has America's best interest at heart?

• Considering the serious economical and debt crisis of America, would it be permissible to vote for a Mormon because he may have expertise in that area? A few Christian leaders think so. 

Electing a president is a heavy responsibility, and no one can tell another how to vote. The only advice one can give is to seriously consider everything, pray to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and then vote how you are led.

 #

For a more in-depth presentation on this subject, go to http://www.janishutchinson.com. Click on Newsletter Article Archives, then "Mormons in Politics." Or, to go directly to the article, click here.

Until next time!

Janis Hutchinson

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RELIGIOUS TESTIMONY: PART 3. HOW TO CONFIRM WHAT YOU BELIEVE

To declare the deep-down religious testimony of what you believe can be spiritually and emotionally rewarding. The caution is, however, that you should make every effort to confirm what you believe, so that when you verbalize your testimony you can know it is true beyond the shadow of a doubt.

If you follow the three points in this post, it should remove any doubt about what you believe and rid those nagging negatives that often buzz around in the back of your head. For many, confirming what you believe will be a defining moment. You must, however, be totally truthful with yourself.

In Parts 1 and 2, you discovered:

• What a testimony is
• The problem with claims of "heaven-sent" testimonies
• For Bible believers, what God will and will not spiritually testify to
• Twelve traps that blind one in assessing the truth of one's religion
• How to counter the traps —invaluable insights and safeguards

(If you missed Parts 1 and 2 of this series, scroll down)

The problem with admitting being wrong. No one likes to admit that they have been wrong—especially when it comes to one's faith. For some of you who have already found this out, perhaps it was because you fell for one of the twelve traps discussed in last week's post. Self-deception and discovering you have been wrong is a difficult and painful pill to swallow, as Sinclair B. Ferguson notes:

As we grow as Christians [and as human beings] we come to the painful recognition that we have an almost unlimited capacity for self-deception.1

There were times in years past where I said to myself, "I know without a doubt such and such is true, because . . ." But I discovered that my "because" fell into one of the deceptive traps mentioned in last week's post. I have read of others, more specifically those in the fringe religions and cults, who have had their belief rug yanked out from beneath them. It is a devastating experience. For that reason you may be reluctant to follow the three steps below, fearful of what it may reveal.

Your moment of truth: the process. Confirming beliefs involves a process. That means it won't be instantaneous. Yet, that is how we learn. No one can jump from kindergarten to college and skip the in-between process. W. Edwards Deming said, "If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you are doing.(2)" Certainly, you want to know what you're doing in this process, and this post will tell you what to do. It will consist of critical thinking, questioning beliefs (even if you don't want to), evaluating evidence, looking at the facts, making assessments, and arriving at a conclusion. Therefore, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is as follows.

THREE STEPS TO CONFIRM WHAT YOU BELIEVE

"Without a standard [yardstick] there is no logical basis for making a decision

or taking action."3

STEP ONE

Establish a yardstick! Truth and error cannot be ascertained unless there is something to measure it by. For example, if you want to know the accurate size of a piece of plywood you automatically reach for a yardstick. This is because it has been established as the official standard for measuring. If you hold a totally different yardstick up to the plywood, the measurement will be false and you will be deceived.

It works the same for religion. If one is to assess the truth of one's testimony about Mormonism, the Moonies', even a denomination within Christianity, a yardstick, or standard of measurement, is crucial. Even Groucho Marx realized this necessity when he said, "I was going to thrash them within an inch of their lives, but I didn't have a tape measure." (A bit of humor . . . I couldn't resist.)

"If you can't measure something, you can't understand it."

H. James Harrington4

What is the yardstick? You thought I was going to say right off … the Bible. Well, yes and no. First, no, because in today's world everything should be suspect, and that includes the Bible. Don't take it on faith. But yes, the Bible is my yardstick—but only because I did my homework following the three steps.

You cannot proceed to confirm your beliefs until you decide upon what your standard of measure will be. However, the choice of yardsticks rests with you; but what you choose must necessarily relegate other measuring sticks as irrelevant and non-effective. You can only have one yardstick.

Are there other yardsticks besides the Bible? Of course. You may choose from any of the "sacred" texts of the world as your yardstick. Here are a few examples. Most, not all, claim to be revelation from God or an angel:

• The Kitab-I-Aqdas, Bahai's "Most Holy Book"
• Theravada Buddhism's Sutra and Pali Tipitaka
• The Analects of Confucius
• Hinduism's Vedas
• Islam's Koran
• The Argams of Jainism
• The Tao-te Ching of Taoism
• The Bible
• Mormonism's Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price.
• . . . the list could go on.

Believers in every one of the above texts exhibit fervent testimonies that effectively convert others (mentioned in Trap 1 of previous post). But the spiritual testimonies of "followers" are not based on physical evidence. They are subjective; therefore must be considered suspect. One might suggest that the personal testimonies of the New Testament writers fall into this category; but the testimonies of Peter, James, John and the other apostles were based on eyewitness accounts of the physical Jesus, although they later received a second witness from heaven (Mt. 16:14-17). That's the significant difference.

Whatever standard of measurement you choose, whether the Tao-te Ching, the Vedas, the Book of Mormon, or the Bible, it must reign as "Supreme King" in your life and be acknowledged by you as God's ultimate Word. Then, it follows that your personal testimony cannot contradict that text's contents.

For example, if you choose the Bible as your standard of measurement, your testimony must consist of the Bible's core messages (mentioned under Trap 2 of the last post), with no extra doctrines or beliefs added. Logic then dictates that any other text you might "want" to include must first be held up to the Bible and measured. If it falls short and contradicts, you can't switch standards simply because you can't face it.

If, as another example, a Mormon chooses the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) as God's measuring standard, that member's verbally claimed, heaven-sent testimony must jibe with its contents . . . but, out of necessity, the Bible must be relegated to a lower status (which the LDS Church has done), because there cannot be two standards of measurement, especially when they differ from one another—and the D&C conflicts with the Bible. This is the reason the LDS Church states that the Bible is full of errors. They use their literature as the standard yardstick, and measure the Bible against it.

However, the Bible, though written by men, is not faulty as some churches may claim, as Dr. Travis Kerns, Asst. Prof of Christian Worldview and Apologetics at Southern Seminary points out:

Though God's word to humanity was given through fallible human authors, the message was given through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and the text is, therefore, without error (inerrant) and does not fail in what it teaches (infallible)."5

Is he prejudiced? Of course. But Dr. Kerns, like myself, has already put the Bible to the test and found that the Bible's trustworthiness is the grounding foundation to measure all religious beliefs and testimonies by.

What convinced me? What first opened my eyes as a Mormon, was when I was teaching the Gospel Doctrine class on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I believed, as LDS leaders dictated, that the Bible was faulty, full of mistakes and unreliable; whereas the Book of Mormon was the pure word of God. But when I discovered that 95% of the words from the Isaiah scroll were word-for-word identical with the Hebrew text (Masoretic) in our present KJV Bible, and the other 5% consisted of minor slips of the pen and variations in spelling, I could reach no other conclusion but that the Bible was not faulty. My leaders were wrong! More study convinced me that God had seen to it that His scriptures were preserved down through the centuries as a safeguard to measure truth and error by. This way, His children wouldn't be "tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine that sounds like truth." (Eph. 4:14).

Any text that doesn't measure up to the standard of the Bible will, out of necessity, need to be rejected as false.

The Holy Spirit, concerned over how easy it is to embrace false beliefs, inspired Paul to issue a warning about anyone, or any text, claiming extra-biblical revelation:

"Though we, or an angel from heaven, or a man, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we [the apostles] have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8, 9)

Since the majority of those who read this blog are Christians, Mormons and ex-Mormons (although there may be a few agnostics, atheists, even existentialists), and they accept the Bible on some level, this next step will use the example of the Bible as the chosen standard of measurement; but if you have chosen another text as your standard, for example, the Book of Mormon, you can apply these same steps.

STEP TWO

Read and study the genuine first! If you are going to measure what you believe and hold it up to the yardstick you have chosen, in this instance, the Bible, then you must study it first. A bank teller is not taught how to detect counterfeit bills. Rather, he or she is taught how to detect the genuine first. Then, when a counterfeit bill goes through their hands they immediately recognize it. Similarly, when one studies the Bible first, the false can more easily be detected.

STEP THREE

Examine objective (material) evidence. "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is true" (1 Thess. 5:2). Don't take the Bible on faith alone! Now, I'm not saying, don't take God on faith. We have to do that. But, there are many who have faith in God who believe the Bible is so faulty that it isn't worthy to be relied upon. In those cases, I say, switch over to your intellectual mode and consider examining all objective evidence on the Bible. Do the same for whatever other book you are considering. However, you will find that in the case of the Bible, the continual discovery of ancient manuscripts and archaeological discoveries provide hard evidence that prove its reliability (versus, for example, the Book of Mormon that has no archaeological evidences or gold plates to back it up).

Motivate yourself in this step to ask questions (make a list), dig for answers; establish the truth or falsehood of what you have chosen as your standard rule of measurement. Since we are using the Bible as our example, you can start with this question: "Is the Bible really reliable?"

Here are a few questions to ask about it:

• Does the discovery of ancient manuscripts corroborate the accuracy of today's Old and New Testaments?
• Do the nearly four thousand year-old statements in the Old Testament about the universe match today's scientific facts? (If not, this certainly makes the rest of the Bible suspect.)
• Do archaeological digs confirm the Bible and its characters as a reliable, historical document?

Can you refute the following claims of Bible critics?

• The Bible is nothing more than a book of poetic mythology, comparable to Homer’s Iliad.
• The Israelites, Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, David, and some of the kings mentioned in the Bible never existed.
• The JEPD theory proves that Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible.
• The Old Testament books are not contemporary records, but Jewish fables and folklore fabricated centuries after the events took place.
• The Bible is unreliable as a historical document.

Now, don't sweat about how you're going to dig up all this information! I've done it all for you in my article, "Is the Bible Reliable?" In it, I present the discoveries and analyses of ancient Biblical manuscripts that verify the accuracy of NT text transmissions, list scientific statements in the Old Testament and match them with today's science, and itemize archaeological digs that verify the history of the Bible and its major characters. It's all being dropped in your lap with my compliments!

For your final check, ask yourself:

• What yardstick have I chosen to measure the beliefs that I so fervently testify to? Have I considered the Bible?
• Am I honestly willing to study it first, and then measure my beliefs against it?
• Have I objectively and thoroughly investigated all physical evidence to substantiate the text I have chosen as my yardstick? What if there isn't any?
• Does the content of my religious testimony about my church's beliefs match the Bible's content, or does it contain contradictions?
• If my church claims extra-biblical books, are there historical or archaeological evidences to substantiate them?
• Is love for my church blinding me to the possibility that my beliefs and personal testimony might be based on untruths?
• Can a Moonie's, a Mormon's, a Christian's, or any other fringe religion's members' personal testimony all be given by the Holy Spirit as claimed, if they conflict? If they do, how do I reconcile this?
• Do my personal objections to confirming what I believe, fall into any of the ten traps listed in Post No. 2?

God bless you in your search for confirmation. And don't forget to check out my article, "Is the Bible Reliable?" I urge you to do this. For those of you who have already chosen the Bible as your yardstick, it will reaffirm your faith in how well God saw to the preservation of His Word. For those who believe in God, but still struggle over whether to keep the Bible in a lower status compared to other sacred books you may previously have chosen, the article will dispel that notion. It will also change your view on any Biblical criticisms you may have been influenced by, will verify the Bible's authenticity, and confirm its validity as the only yardstick to measure truth and error by.

I leave you with this:

"Nothing is more shameful than to affirm before knowing."

Until next time,

Janis Hutchinson

Footnotes:
1.  Sinclair B. Ferguson, in Healthy Christian Growth, Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA. 1991, p. 5.
    Cited at http://thegracetabernacle.org/quotes/Deception.htm. [brackets mine]
2.  W. Edwards Deming, American Statistician. Cited at http://thinkexist.com/quotation/ [brackets mine]
3.  Joseph M. Juran 1904-1908. Cited at: http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/employees/perform/quotes.cfm.
4.  H. James Harrington. 1611 – 1677. Cited at http://www.littlethingsmatter.com/blog
5.  Dr. Travis Kerns. http://drtraviskerns.blogspot.com/ (with permission)

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RELIGIOUS TESTIMONY: PART 2 HOW TO CONFIRM WHAT YOU BELIEVE

Last week, the problem of "heaven-sent" personal testimonies of one's religious beliefs was presented, along with a list of ten traps that lead to misguided testimonies. This week the ten traps will be countered, offering you some safeguards. Next week, the final in this series, will offer a decisive way to confirm what you believe. (If you didn't read last week's post, scroll down.)

Personal testimonies must always be suspect. They do not necessarily declare absolute, God-sent truth. Why? (1) They are not objective, but subjective (based solely on personal bias and emotion existing only in a person's mind and heart), and (2) fringe religions and cults have comparable testimonies declared with the same emotional fervor. They are just as convincing and impressive as a Christian's, a Mormon's, or a Moonie's. They can't all be right. Plus, they are impressive enough that we can all be taken in. So, let's look at the traps. (I added two additional ones.)

Combating the traps

TRAP 1. Believe your church and its doctrines are true because of the personal fervor and emotion exhibited in members' testimonies, including your own. Don't be fooled by this. Admittedly, we are swayed by a passionate testimony; but, a fervent religious testimony declared with enthusiasm, even tears, only indicates: "This is what I believe with all my heart, and my feelings are so strong, that it has to be true." These personal declarations, regardless of what they claim, may not indicate the truth. Understanding this will provide a safeguard.

TRAP 2. My testimony is of supernatural origin. It is deceptive to assume this without deeper investigation. Too many faiths with radically differing beliefs claim the same thing. When Mormons or Moonies insist that their testimony of their church's extra-biblical beliefs are true and from the Holy Ghost, the spirit they feel is more likely to be their own spirit . . . the spirit of their heart and soul giving witness to their whole being to the love they feel for what they have embraced. And it can be a very strong feeling, goose bumps included. Most cults include Jesus (or they wouldn't gain converts). But true, God-given testimonies will only confirm Jesus' salvation message, which is: (1) God sent his only begotten son to die for our sins and reconcile us to Him; (2) (full) salvation comes only through recognizing His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for our sinful nature; and (3) accepting Jesus as one's personal savior for our sin. The Holy Spirit will not give a testimony that contradicts this. Nor will He testify to a book of new scripture that ranks higher than the Bible . . . nor will He testify to newly revealed rituals that provide a different way to be saved . . . nor will He give a confirming testimony that one can become a God.

TRAP 3. Prioritizing the personal testimony. A subjective testimony should never be prioritized when the Bible and other facts, historical or scientific, contradict the declaration. Unfortunately, this is the hallmark of cults and fringe religions. We will talk more about "facts" in Trap 9.

TRAP 4.There is no need to question because the leader is anointed by God and is more spiritual than I am. What does the leader's spirituality have to do with your not having the right to question? God instilled that faculty in us to provide a way for us to arrive at the truth of a matter. As children, we began with "Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green." When we aged, we advanced to other questions: "Why is this investment better than another investment," "Why is this church's claims better than another?" Asking questions is how we learn. When we stifle the God-given right to question because we falsely assume that someone else is more spiritual, or the leader has a special anointing, it negates our ability to discover truth. Why do con men take in so many suckers? Because the "suckers" didn't ask enough questions. Further, they only asked questions of the conman! Seeking answers to questions from knowledgeable sources is a must. By understanding this, you become free from the influence of others and from being duped. You must become your own man.

TRAP 5: Suspend critical thinking because the area of mind doesn't pertain to the spiritual. Spiritual matters can involve the mind. Spirituality involves a prescribed way of worship and identifies the person to whom one worships. Legalistic rules can also be made spiritual, and rituals believed to have been revealed from God also become spiritual. Yet members of cults and fringe religions often hold back in asking questions for fear of reprisal from leaders; also for fear of showing to their peers, a lack of faith. Any church, like the LDS Church, that says to a member, "Brother so and so, don't you know that you are on the road to apostasy when you begin to question?" Any church that does this has something to hide. Critical thinking is an imperative! Yet, LDS Leaders stated in The Improvement Era, "Lucifer . . . wins a great victory when he can get members of the Church to speak against their leaders and to do their own thinking. . . . When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done!" (June 1945, p. 354) Every human being should always feel free to question beliefs, evaluate evidence, look at the facts, make assessments, and arrive at a conclusion. In spiritual matters, "[God] doesn’t expect us to commit intellectual suicide," states Christian apologist and author, Josh McDowell." (Evidence that Demands a Verdict, 1972, p. 16)

TRAP 6. Blind faith must be utilized because there is no real objective way to prove a religion true or untrue. (We are not talking about blind faith in God here.) It is foolhardy to put blind faith in a church's claims without sound investigation. Blind faith in one's church or religion is illogical. When doing so, one becomes no more than a puppet. One of the first things that opened my eyes was when Pres. Heber J. Grant stated, "Keep your eye on the President of the church, and if he tells you to do something wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it." (Heinerman & Shupe, Mormon Corporate Empire, p. 197) "Whoa," I said. "Since when does God bless someone for doing something wrong just because someone asks him to do it?" Blind faith in one's church and leaders is not a spiritual feather in one's hat. E. O. Wilson said, "Blind faith, no matter how passionately expressed, will not suffice." What will suffice? Rational knowledge based on evidentiary facts. Impossible, you say? Can we test our church's beliefs, its claims, its spirituality, and our testimony based on objective evidence? (This comes in next week's post.)

TRAP 7. My faith makes me "feel good" and I experience peace; therefore my church has to be true. This concept can often prove false. When, for example, I left the Mormon Church and ventured into my first Christian church, I was lugging my mental baggage along with me, including pet doctrines I couldn't give up. I was extremely conflicted, couldn't sleep at night with being torn between my old way of thinking and the new. I felt no peace at all. I wondered: "They say that peace is supposed to be of God, but I don't feel at peace. Does that mean this Christian church is false and I should return to Mormonism where I felt so comfortable and accepted? But, Jesus said in Matt. 10:34, "I bring not peace, but a sword." Sometimes it is necessary for God to wield a sword—especially when one's false beliefs need to be cut away. It is not a pleasant experience. Feeling good is not always the criterion of truth.

TRAP 8. No need to investigate outside literature, because all truth is encompassed in my church. False religions indoctrinate members with the idea that, "If you investigate outside literature, you will lose your testimony." Or, " It is from Satan because he wants to destroy your faith." They especially warn about former members' literature. The member becomes fearful. Losing one's testimony is tantamount to losing one's salvation and, for Mormons, exaltation. Contrary to what LDS leaders say, literature by former Mormons does not contain lies. They, like myself, know LDS doctrine backwards and forwards, and can back up everything we say or write with LDS references. Assert your right as an individual endowed with free agency to use the faculties God gave you.

TRAP 9. I must reject all "facts" that conflict with my personal testimony. Members of false religions are told how valuable and significant their personal testimony is, and that it is given to them by the Holy Ghost. The only way to keep it intact, they are told, is to reject anything that conflicts with that testimony. Otherwise, they'll lose it. They're correct. Members will probably lose their testimonies. Why? Because reading outside literature that contain "facts" that are backed up with valid references, can't help but bring about a loss of testimony because their eyes will be opened. They will see that what they thought was the truth, was not. Ignoring facts is a false religion's trademark. An example is when Carrie Sheffield, a Mormon at the time, realizing that the LDS Church's claims about anthropology, history and other subjects contradicted reason and science, said she "spiritually imploded" after a high-ranking Mormon leader told her to "stop reading historical and scientific materials because they were worse than porn." (http://tinyurl.com/7e7kv4p). This blew my mind! Another example is when damaging facts were revealed about the LDS Church's cover-up of Mormon history and Joseph Smith, and Apostle Dallin Oaks told members: "Our individual, personal testimonies are based on the witness of the Spirit, not on any combination or accumulation of historical facts. If we are so grounded, no alteration of historical facts can shake our testimonies." (Salt Lake Tribune, 8-18-1985, p. 2B) Apostle Oaks' directive would also mean that members should continue to testify and bear witness that the Book of Mormon is true, knowing there are no archaeological evidences, believing its people came from Jerusalem when DNA studies already prove they did not, ignoring Col. 2:14 that says that at the death of Jesus all temple rituals were nailed to the cross and done away with, and Hebrews Chaps 7-10, that men are no longer required to hold the office of High Priest.

TRAP 10. Extra-biblical revelation is a necessity because the Bible is ancient, faulty and unreliable. Truths need to be restored. One of the major signs of a false religion is its production and reliance upon extra-biblical revelation that ranks higher than the Bible. It has one major purpose . . . to convince members that the leader is truly a prophet of God. Without extra-biblical revelation how could he prove his spiritually connection to God?

TRAP 11. Embrace different doctrines, rituals and paths to salvation that come via a leader's revelations, even if not found in the Bible. Jesus' main thrust was to lay out the plan of salvation for believers. What He spelled out was not complicated; there were no legalistic rules that one had to comply with in order to be saved; and there were no secret rituals intended for a special class of elite believers. Any religion or church that claims new paths to salvation should immediately be suspect. For example, the Mormon path to full salvation (exaltation) is to (1) go through the temple' (2) be anointed to become a King or Queen; (3) receive special underwear to wear containing Masonic markings; (4) learn secret passwords and handshakes to allow members to pass by the angels who guard heaven's gate; and (5) be sealed (married) in the temple so they can achieve Godhood and Goddesshood. This briefly describes the "First Temple Endowment." I won't go into the "Second Temple Endowment," which many are unaware of, but you can read about it here: http://www.janishutchinson.com/newsletters/ceremony.pdf. Purposely mixed in with extra-biblical revelation you will always find a smattering of truths taken from the Bible, proving the old adage, "The devil will give you ninety-nine truths to get you to believe one lie."

TRAP 12. View historic Christianity and the larger body of Christ as apostate, and one's own church as true. Members of false religions are taught that their church is the only true one that God approves of. In fact, this is included in the Mormon testimony: "I believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church upon the face of the earth." This claim ranks high in inducing members to stay.

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The above should give you something to ponder. Next week (Tuesday) will be the final post in this series, and you will no doubt be surprised to read my statement: "Don't even take the Bible on faith."

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RELIGIOUS TESTIMONY PART 1: HOW TO CONFIRM WHAT YOU BELIEVE (Works For Any Faith)

"Nothing is more shameful than to affirm before knowing."

[Cicero, Academica, i. 45.)

Do you have a strong testimony about your religion? Do you believe it is true beyond the shadow of a doubt? How do you really know it's based on truth?  Can you prove it? This post describes the traps that can lead to unrealized false testimonies. The next two weekly posts will provide additional insight on the subject and tell you how to confirm what you believe.

What is a testimony?

In religion and law, a testimony is a "solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter." Members of every religion attest in their own way to what they believe is the truth. A Christian's testimony normally consists of how one became a Christian. A Mormon's testimony, however, is different. It claims to be an attestation of the truth of their church's beliefs received directly from the Holy Ghost (despite the mechanical method mentioned in the previous post). Of necessity, the Mormon testimony must include five particulars, usually accompanied by "I know" or "I bear witness."

"I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that Joseph Smith was a prophet; that the Book of Mormon is true; the LDS Church is the only true church, and I bear witness that Jesus is the Christ, and President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, seer and revelator."

Their all-inclusive, heaven-sent testimony which is verbalized with fervor, is proof to them that what they believe is true. But do personal testimonies like the above really testify to the truth beyond any doubt? I suggest not. It can't be, because Mormons aren't the only ones who declare them.

Members of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church testify (often with tears), "I know that Reverend Moon is the Second Messiah." Muslims declare: "I bear witness that there is no other God but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger." Jehovah's Witnesses and other fringe religions, cults and sects also have their emphatic testimonies. But, they can't all be right.

The problem

The problem is that a religious testimony is subjective (an opinion influenced solely by personal bias and emotion existing only in a person’s mind and heart). Thus, it is susceptible to deception. But can a testimony about one's faith ever be objective? (based strictly on observable phenomena) Is there a way to confirm one's testimony so as to remove any doubt? Yes . . . there definitely is. We'll get to that soon. But first, here are ten traps that blind many in assessing the validity of their testimony: 

Ten Traps  

Trap 1.  Believing your church and its doctrines are true because of the personal fervor and emotion exhibited in other members' testimony, as well as your own.

                       

Trap 2.  Assume there is no need to question because the leader is anointed by God and is more spiritual than you.

Trap 3.  Suspend critical thinking because the area of mind doesn't pertain to spiritual matters.

Trap 4.  There is no real objective way to prove a religion true or untrue, so blind faith must be utilized. As long as they acknowledge Jesus, everything is fine.

Trap 5.  The church makes me feel good; therefore, it must be true.

Trap 6.  No need to question or investigate other options. All truth is encompassed in my church.

Trap 7.  I must reject all facts that conflict with my personal testimony.

Trap 8.  Extra-biblical revelation is a necessity, because the Bible is ancient, faulty and unreliable. New truths are required for new times.

Trap 9.  Embrace different doctrines, rituals and paths to salvation that come via a leader's revelations, even if not found in the Bible. 

Trap 10. View historic Christianity and the larger body of Christ as apostate, and one's own church as true.

Ponder the above. Analyze your own religious testimony. See if it gets you to thinking. Next Tuesday (Feb. 7th) I'll post seven tips to counter these traps. Then, the following Tuesday (Feb. 14^th) I'll give you three steps that will enable you to authenticate and confirm what you believe. You'll either end up a happy camper, or you will embark on a quest you hadn't anticipated.

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