"Mormon Mecca"

How Well Do You Know Mormon Church Leaders of the Past?

2011-04-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Last month (March 2011) Ensign magazine included a challenge titled “How Well Do You Know Our Church Leaders?” It consisted of 15 details from the lives of the 15 current Prophets, Seers and Revelators of the LDS Church. Readers were invited to match the names with the facts.

The Ensign challenge included things like figuring out which leader once raised rabbits or worked on an oyster boat. The lives of LDS leaders throughout the history of the Mormon Church reflect much more interesting details than those included in the Ensign article. So I here add my own version of “How Well Do You Know Mormon Church Leaders of the Past?” See if you can match the following eight names of early Church leaders with events or other details from their lives. Answers and references follow, but see how well you can do without peeking.

Apostle Jedediah Grant
Apostle Amasa Lyman
Apostle Franklin D. Richards
President Sidney Rigdon
President Joseph Smith
Apostle* David Whitmer
President Wilford Woodruff
President Brigham Young

A. When returning to Salt Lake City after a mission, this leader and his travelling companions overtook the Willie Handcart Company, stopping for a night to encourage the pioneers. After promising that they would all end their journey in the “Valleys of the Mountains with strong and healthy bodies,” this leader asked Captain Willie for “fresh meat” and took the Company’s fattest calf.
B. This leader was sealed to four hundred unmarried women ancestors in a single day.
C. He accused his wife of attempting to murder him by putting poison in his coffee.
D. This Mormon leader said he received a revelation from God telling him to separate himself from the Latter-day Saints because they had “gone deep into error and blindness.”
E. Speaking of the sinful actions of some Latter-day Saints, this leader publicly called for a place to be designated where the blood of covenant-breakers could be shed.
F. According to the Law of Adoption practiced in the early Mormon Church, this man was sealed to someone who was later convicted of mass murder.
G. In a fiery and memorable sermon, this leader declared a “war of extermination” against non-Mormons.
H. Hosting and participating in séances and automatic writing, this Mormon leader fully embraced the “spiritualist underground” operating all throughout Utah.
* While not usually listed among LDS apostles, D&C 18:9, Brigham Young, and Larry Porter writing for the Ensign, all indicate that David Whitmer was called as an apostle.

ANSWERS:
A. 3, Roberts, Devils Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy, 162-164; B. 7, Van Wagoner & Walker, A Book of Mormons, 399; C. 5, Newell & Avery, Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith, 164; D. 6, Whitmer, An Address To All Believers in Christ, 27; E. 1, Journal of Discourses 4:49-50; F. 8, Van Wagoner & Walker, A Book of Mormons, 156; G. 4, LeSueur, The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri, 50-51; H. 2, Avery, From Mission to Madness, 186-188.
—
Good friend Mike Tea has also compiled a version of the Ensign challenge. Take a look at The Mormon Chapbook.

Bible Rewritten To Fit Mormonism

2010-07-16T23:38:00.000-07:00

The creator of the video explains its content: “Verses that are in contradiction to Mormon theology and what they should read if they are to be in sync with Mormonism’s doctrine.”

The Other Gods of Deuteronomy by Staci Lee

2010-06-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

An LDS man who wanted to convince me that the Bible validates the notion of multiple gods used Deuteronomy 32:8 as a proof text. In the RSV (the translation he wanted to use for this verse) it says:

"When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.";
The LDS man made three claims: that "sons of God" is the more accurate translation; that these sons-of-God are gods themselves; and that these sons-of-God/gods are part of a "heavenly council of gods" to the "Most High God."

To see if the man had a reasonable argument, I first went back to the Book of Deuteronomy and studied it carefully. As it turns out, Deuteronomy has A LOT to say about other gods. The following is a presentation of what I found. PLEASE take the time to read these verses so you will know that my representations and conclusions are fully supported by the Biblical text.

(And keep in mind that Bible translators use the all-caps word "LORD" for the Hebrew word יְהוָה which means "The Existing One." "YHWH," "Yahweh," or "Jehovah" are the English renderings of יְהוָה For this reason, I will substitute "Jehovah" for "LORD" below).

"...Thou shalt have none other gods before me..."

Deuteronomy teaches that:

1 - The LORD God (Jehovah elohim) is the god of the nation of Israel, but other peoples/nations have/worship other gods (Deut 5:6; Deut 29:25-26; Deut 32:12)
2 - The LORD God is adamant that His people not have anything to do with the other gods, nor try to worship Him in the same way as the other people worship their gods (Deut 5:6-8; Deut 6:14; Deut 7:3-5; Deut 8:19; Deut 11:16-17; Deut 11:28; Deut 12:2; Deut 28:14-15; Deut 30:16; Deut 31:16-17)
3 - The god-worship done by the other nations includes “every abomination to the LORD” (one given example is the burning of their children) (Deut 12:31; Deut 20:18; Deut 29:18; Deut 31:18) and
4 - The LORD God is superior to all other "gods" (Deut 3:24; Deut 10:17)

"...These curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee...The LORD shall bring thee... unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone..."

Deuteronomy tells us more about the gods of the other nations. It goes on to show that:

5 - The other "gods" being worshiped are just wood and stone -- graven images/the work of men’s hands (Deut 28:36; Deut 28:64; Deut 4:25, 27-28; Deut 29:16-18; Deut 12:3)
6 - The other "gods" being worshiped are the sun, moon, and ‘host of heaven’ (Deut 17:2-5; Deut 4:15-16,19) and
7 - The other "gods" being worshiped are demons! (Deut 32:16-17)

Perhaps some of the "gods" are not really gods, but are some real?

No.

“For the LORD shall judge his people... he shall say, 'Where are their gods... let them rise up and help you, and be your protection! See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me...'" Deut 32:36-39

“Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.” Deut 4:35

“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else.” Deut 4:39

Perhaps, according to Deuteronomy, Jehovah God is the only real god for our heaven and earth; but there are other real gods for other 'heaven and earths'? Is this possible? No, for two reasons.

First, in all of Deuteronomy, and in fact, in all of the Bible, though the issue of "other gods" is brought up many, many, many times, NOT ONE TIME is any mention made of any other REAL god.

Second, should there be any confusion, the "I am the only God" verses in Deuteronomy have been restated and further clarified elsewhere in the Bible (eg., Isaiah 43:10, 44:6,24).

Mormon friend, it boils down to this. Given what is revealed about Jehovah -- the LORD God, in the Bible -- for you to claim or believe that there are other real gods anywhere (even in other universes, if they exist) you must believe that: 1 - Jehovah conceals the existence of other real gods, 2 - Jehovah is ignorant, or 3 - the Bible is not true (is not reliable/has been mistranslated). Since we were trying to use A BIBLE VERSE to prove the existence of other real gods in the first place, it is pointless to take the position that the Bible is not true/accurate. Next, throughout the Bible, not only does Jehovah repeatedly state that He is the only God, but He takes great care everywhere else in the Bible to say that the "other gods" are but idols. We cannot get around the fact that Jehovah God has clearly spoken on this issue. Lastly, could Jehovah be ignorant? Dare we assume Jehovah is not great enough to know of His peers? Only if we think we are greater than He is. “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

We must conclude that IF the 8th verse of the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy is really talking about "gods," then they are only so-called gods, wrongfully worshiped, to a person's detriment.

And the Most High God? Yeah, that's Jehovah.

"...I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD (Jehovah), the most high God (elyon el), the possessor of heaven and earth..." (Genesis 14:22)

"I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD (Jehovah) most high (elyon)." (Psalm 7:17)
"Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other." Deut 4:39

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams... saying, Let us go after other gods (elohim)... that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD (Jehovah) your God (elohim)..." Deut 13:1-5

Martin Luther and Mormonism by Staci Lee

2010-06-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

In the early 1500's, a man named Martin Luther figured out something important -- the Roman Catholic Church, of which he was a devout member, was abusing its power. Among other things, the church was selling -- for money -- forgiveness and passes to heaven.

Luther could see that the Church was in error because Luther had thoroughly studied the Holy Bible.

In Luther's day, the Catholic lay-people knew little of what was in the Bible. The Catholic clergy used a Bible written in Latin, a language that the common people did not speak or read. The clergy, by keeping the Bible to themselves in this way, were free to misinterpret the holy book to their own benefit -- and thus they did.

In an attempt to end the wrongful practices of the Church upon the people, Luther himself translated the Bible into German. Though he did not, at the time, particularly agree that a few of the books belonged in the Bible, he did not presume to add to, nor take away from, the Bible as it was. He translated God's Word, making it accessible to the masses.

Skip ahead three centuries. In the early 1800's, a man named Joseph Smith produced a book called the Book of Mormon, which condemned the Catholic Church for its errors, calling it the "great and abominable church". It should be understood that the "Reformation", a movement that had started with Martin Luther, would have been widely recognized by Smith's day.

This is a good time to add just a little more information about the Reformation. According to Theopedia.com,

"The theology of the Reformers departed from the Roman Catholic Church primarily on the basis of three great principles:

* Sole authority of Scripture,
* Justification by faith alone, and
* Priesthood of the believer. "

In other words, in the view of the Reformers (who had read and studied the Bible for themselves), where the Catholic Church was most errant was in

1- Going above/around the Bible for spiritual/religious doctrine
2- Teaching that justification had more requirements than faith in Christ
3- Claiming exclusive "priesthood" for the religious elite, rather than for each born-again believer (1 Peter 2:9).

Joseph Smith and his Book of Mormon claimed that the Catholic Church had erred by taking many "plain and precious truths" from the Bible, and that he was the one to restore those truths. This post is not going to address his work on the Bible, other than to state that it is easy to prove that what Joseph "restored" came from his creative imagination and desire to prove himself a prophet.

The question for this post is, given that Mormonism in its inception considered the Catholic Church to be the church of the devil (or at least the main face of said church), why has it done the exact same thing?

Specifically:

1- The Mormon Church claims that there is authority over and above the Bible: the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price (all produced by Joseph Smith), and the teachings of the LDS authority figures.
2- The Mormon Church has added to faith many other requirements.
3- The Mormon Church teaches that priesthood is only for worthy LDS male members.

The Catholic Church was able to keep its people subjugated to the Church, its leadership, and its false teachings by keeping them away from a knowledge of the Holy Bible.

Martin Luther, by exposing people to the biblical gospel and making the Bible more accessible, freed people financially, emotionally, and spiritually from the religious wrong-doings of the Roman Catholic religion.

The Mormon Church keeps its people subjugated to the Church, its leadership, and its false teachings by keeping them away from a knowledge of the Holy Bible.

The LDS have the Bible in their homes, in their own language. But their religion still keeps the Bible truth out of their minds and hearts in at least five ways:

1- The LDS religion insists that the Bible can not be trusted (cf. the 8th Article of Faith).

2- The LDS religion has created and taught new definitions for terms in the Bible, so that when a Mormon reads the Bible, s/he is confused. Some examples of this are the teachings a) that there are two God the Father's (one above the other), b )that "salvation" equals universal resurrection by grace, distinguished from exaltation by works/merit, and c) that 'priesthood' is an authority or power that gets handed down from one faithful (to the church) Mormon man to another.

3- The LDS religion emphasizes Book of Mormon reading over Bible reading. The Book of Mormon contains plagiarized sections of the KJV Bible, with minor wording removed or inserted. It contains Bible stories with new character names and reworked story details. It also contains separated and recombined Bible passages. Because a Mormon is typically more familiar with the Book of Mormon than the Bible, Bible comprehension is negatively affected by the reader's Book-of-Mormon 'lenses'.

4- The LDS religion has an official version of the Bible, the KJV. The King James Version, written in Old English, contains uncommon words and phrasing. More modern Bible translations, such as the NKJV or the NASB, are much more easily understood by the modern reader.

5- The LDS Bible comes with chapter headings. These headings look like they are brief overviews of each chapter. However, they are really used to promote Bible-contrary LDS church doctrine. For instance, the chapter heading for 1 Corinthians 8 teaches that there are many real gods, just as Joseph Smith did from this same piece of scripture.

I was a Mormon. Like Martin Luther, I'm protesting that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is keeping their members away from a knowledge of the truth of the Bible. My efforts, and those of people like me, will probably not bring the Mormon Church to its knees. But my prayer is that many Mormons will still find the Bible, and because of it, be freed from Mormonism and saved into the Life of Jesus Christ.

Brainwashing – Exhibit A

2010-05-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Brainwashing: "...any method of controlled systematic indoctrination, esp. one based on repetition or confusion..."

The following Topical Guide entry brings together for us the "scriptures most often used in [LDS] gospel classes and study" on the topic of Geneology and Temple Work. Take a gander at this partial entry scanned from a 1986 LDS Standard Work. (A complete list of verses can be found here.):

One thing I hope you noticed is how it reads.

"all Israel were reckoned by genealogy...Let us go to the house of the Lord... to bring out the prisoners from the prison... in mine house... I will give them an everlasting name..."

The LDS believe they need to trace genealogies so they can "go to the house of the Lord" (their temples) to do the proxy work necessary "to bring out the prisoners from [spirit] prison," and that they get a new "everlasting name" there, and so on and so forth. So what we're seeing here is that the Topical Guide entry reads just like the LDS belief.

Are you just going to "buy" this without checking it out? DO THESE LDS-CHURCH-SELECTED BIBLE VERSES TRULY SUPPORT THE LDS BELIEF?

To get an idea of the answer to that question, let's look at the partial verse from the Topical Guide, Isaiah 42:7 ("to bring out the prisoners from the prison"), in its immediate context.

Isaiah 42:5-8: Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
I am the LORD: that is my name...."

For brevity, I quoted starting at verse 5. But if you back-up and read Isaiah 42:1-4, you see that the verses are about Jesus. To be completely certain, you can read Matthew 12:15-21 which quotes this part of Isaiah and applies it to Jesus. Continuing on subject, then, with verses 5-8, we see that Jesus would be coming, as promised, to open the eyes of the blind (Matt 13:15, Mark 8:18) and release the captives from prison (John 8:32-34, 35-36). Look at what Jesus Himself said in Luke 4:18-19, where he quoted from Isaiah 61:1, a verse that goes on to talk about Him preaching good tidings (2 Cor. 5:21) unto the meek, binding up the brokenhearted, and proclaiming liberty to the captives (John 3:15-17).

So Isaiah 42:7 is the good news, the "gospel" of Jesus the Savior! The immediate context shows this, and the New Testament verifies it. What is extremely important to notice is that there is no mention of temples, no temple work, and no genealogy. Did you see any? No?

So we see that, pushing Jesus aside to make room for its own doctrine, the LDS Church has taken this piece of verse from its context, placed it together with some other similarly separated pieces of verses, and carefully assembled the pieces into a readable sequence which presents LDS doctrine but bears no resemblance to what the biblical writers intended.

Folks, THIS IS BRAIN-WASHING.

Either that, or despite the continuity and simplicity of the gospel message throughout the Bible, there are actually small portions of sentences, strewn throughout the Bible in dissimilar text, hidden so that only the elect elite can find and meaningfully assemble the real truth, which contradicts the overall theme of the Bible. Is this what you believe? Is this how you believe God works? I hope not. The Bible is immensely rich and full -- but its message is simple and visible to anyone who looks...

Here's one last question for those of you who are tempted to say that the Spirit showed you that the Mormon representation of these verses is true. Is it that you read the Bible on your own, and somehow came to the conclusions that your church did, before hearing it from your church? Or did your church explain it to you first, after which you decided that's what it meant?

Brainwash...

Nauvoo Expositor

2009-12-08T13:32:00.000-08:00

Nauvoo Expositor

NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, JUNE 7, 1844.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We give this week to the following Preamble, Resolutions and Affidavits, of the Seceders from the Church at Nauvoo.-- The request is complied with on account of their deeming it very important that the public should know the true cause of their dissenting, as all manner of falsehood is spread abroad in relation to the schism in the Church. In our subsequent numbers several affidavits will be published, to substantiate the facts alleged. Hereafter, no further Church proceedings will appear in our columns, except in the form of brief communications.--ED.

Preamble.

It is with the greatest solicitude for the salvation of the Human Family, and of our own souls, that we have this day assembled. Feign would we have slumbered, and "like the Dove that covers and conceals the arrow that is preying upon its vitals," for the sake of avoiding the furious and turbulent storm of persecution which will gather, soon to burst upon our heads, have covered and concealed that which, for a season, has been brooding among the ruins of our peace: but we rely upon the arm of Jehovah, the Supreme Arbiter of the world, to whom we this day, and upon this occasion, appeal for the rectitude of our intentions.

If that God who gave bounds to the mighty deep, and bade the ocean cease--if that God who organized the physical world, and gave infinity to space, be our front guard and our rear ward, it is futile and vain for man to raise his puny arm against us. God will inspire his ministers with courage and with understanding to consummate his purposes; and, if it is necessary, he can snatch them from the fiery furnace, or the Lion's den; as he did anciently the three Hebrews from the former, and Daniel from the latter.

As for our acquaintance with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we know, no man or set of men can be more thoroughly acquainted with its rise, its organization, and its history, than we have every reason to believe we are. We all verily believe, and many of us know of a surety, that the religion of the Latter Day Saints, as originally taught by Joseph Smith, which is contained in the Old and New Testaments, Book of Covenants, and Book of Mormon, is verily true; and that the pure principles set forth in those books, are the immutable and eternal principles of Heaven, and speaks a language which, when spoken in truth and virtue, sinks deep into the heart of every honest man.--Its precepts are invigorating, and in every sense of the word, tend to dignify and ennoble man's conceptions of God and his atributes [sic]. It speaks a language which is heard amidst the roar of Artillery, as well as in the silence of midnight: it speaks a language understood by the incarcerated spirit, as well as he who is unfettered and free; yet to those who will not see, it is dark, mysterious, and secret as the grave.

We believe that all men, professing to be the ministers of God, should keep steadily in view, the honor and glory of God, the salvation of souls, and the amelioration of man's condition: and among their cardinal virtues ought to be found those of faith, hope, virtue and charity; but with Joseph Smith, and many other official characters in the Church, they are words without any meanings attached-worn as ornaments; exotics nurtured for display; virtues which, throwing aside the existence of a God, the peace, happiness, welfare, and good order of society, require that they should be preserved pure, immaculate and uncorroded.

We most solemnly and sincerely declare, God this Day being witness of the truth and sincerity of our designs and statements, that happy will it be with those who examine and scan Joseph Smith's pretensions to righteousness; and take counsel of human affairs, and of the experience of times gone by. Do not yield up tranquilly a superiority to that man which the reasonableness of past events, and the laws of our country declare to be pernicious and diabolical. We hope many items of doctrine, as now taught, some of which, however, are taught secretly, and denied openly, (which we know positively is the case,)and others publicly, considerate men will treat with contempt; for we declare them heretical and damnable in their influence, though they find many devotees. How shall he, who had drank of the poisonous draft, teach virtue? In the stead thereof, when the criminal ought to plead guilty to the court, the court is obliged to plead guilty to the criminal. We appeal to humanity and ask, what shall we do? Shall we lie supinely and suffer ourselves to be metamorphosed into beasts by the Syren tongue? We amswer that our country and our God require that we should rectify the tree. We have called upon him to repent, and as soon as he shewed fruits meet for repentance, we stood ready to seize him by the hand of fellowship, and throw around him the mantle of protection; for it is the salvation of souls we desire, and not our own aggrandizement.

We are earnestly seeking to explode the vicious principles of Joseph Smith, and those who practice the same abominations and whoredoms; which we verily know are not accordant and consonant with the principles of Jesus Christ and the Apostles; and for that purpose, and with that end in view, with an eye single to the glory of God, we have dared to gird on the armor, and with God at our head, we most solemnly and sincerely declare that the sword of truth shall not depart from the thigh, nor the buckler from the arm, until we can enjoy those glorious privileges which nature's God and our country's laws have guarantied to us-freedom of speech, the liberty of the press, and the right to worship God as seemeth us good.-We are aware, however, that we are hazarding every earthly blessing, particularly property,and probably life itself, in striking this blow at tyranny and oppresion: yet notwithstanding we most solemnly declare that no man, or set of men combined, shall, with impunity, violate obligations as sacred as many which have been violated unless reason, justice and virtue have become ashamed and sought the haunts of the grave, though our lives be the forfeiture.

Many of us have sought a reformation in the church, without a public exposition of the enormities of crimes practiced by its leaders, thinking that if they would hearden to counsel, and shew fruit meet for repentance, it would be as acceptable with God, as though they were exposed to public gaze,

"For the private path, the secret acts of men,
If noble, for the noblest of their lives."

but our petitions were treated with contempt; and in many cases the petitioner spurned from their presence and particularly by Joseph, who would state that if he had sinned, and was guilty of the charges we would charge him with, he would not make acknowledgment, but would rather be damned; for it would detract from his dignity, and would consequently ruin and prove the overthrow of the Church. We would ask him on the other hand, if the overthrow of the Church was not inevitable, to which he often replied, that we would all go to Hell together, and convert it into a heaven, by casting the Devil out; and says lie, Hell is by not means the place this world of fools suppose it to be, but on the contrary, it is quite an agreeable place: to which we would now reply, he can enjoy it he is determined not to desist from his evil ways; but as for us, and ours, we will serve the Lord our God!

It is absurd for men to assert that all is well, while wicked and corrupt men are seeking our destruction, by a perversion of sacred things; for all is not well, while whordoms and all manner of abominations are practiced under the cloak of religion. Lo! the wolf is in the fold, arrayed in sheep's clothing, and is spreading death and devastation among the saints: and we say to the watchmen standing upon the walls, cry aloud and spare not, for the day of the Lord is at hand-a day cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate.

It is a notorious fact, that many females in foreign climes, and in countries to us unknown, even in the most distant regions of the Eastern hemisphere, have been induced, by the sound of the gospel, to forsake friends, and embark upon a voyage across waters that lie stretched over the greater portion of the globe, as they supposed, to glorify God, that they might thereby stand acquitted in the great day of God Almighty. But what is taught them on their arrival at this place?- They are visited by some of the Strikers, for we know not what else to call them, and are requested to hold on and be faithful, for there are great blessings awaiting the righteous; and that God has great mysteries in store for those who love the lord, and cling to brother Joseph. They are also notified that Brother Joseph will see them soon, and reveal the mysteries of Heaven to their full understanding, which seldom fails to inspire them with new confidence in the Prophet, as well as a great anxiety to know what God has laid up in store for them, in return for the great sacrifice of father of mother, of gold and silver, which they gladly left far behind, that they might be gathered into the fold, and numbered among the chosen of God.--They are visited again, and what is the result? They are requested to meet brother Joseph, or some of the Twelve, at some insulated point, or at some particularly described palce on the bank of the Mississippi, or at some room, which wears upon its front--Positively NO Admittance. The harmless, inoffensive, and unsuspecting creatures, are so devoted to the Prophet, and the cause of Jesus Christ, that they do not dream of the deep laid and fatal scheme which prostrates happiness, and renders death itself desireable; but they meet him, expecting to receive through him a blessing, and learn the will of the Lord concerning them, and what awaits the faithful follower of Joseph, the Apostle and Prophet of God, When in the stead thereof, they are told, after having been sworn in one of the most solemn manners, to never divulge what is revealed to them, with a penalty of death attached that God Almighty has revealed it to him, that she should be his (Joseph's) Spiritual wife; for it was right anciently,and God will tolerate it again: but we must keep those pleasures and blessings form the world, for until there is a change in the government, we will endanger ourselves by practicing it-but we can enjoy the blessings of Jacob, David, and others, as well as to be deprived of them, if we do not expose ourselves to the law of the land. She is thunder-struck, faints recovers, and refuses. The Prophet damns her if she rejects. She thinks of the great sacrifice and of the many thousand miles she has traveled over sea and land, that she might save her soul from pending ruin, and replies, God's will be done and not mine. The Prophet and his devotees in this way are gratified. The next step to avoid public exposition from the common course of things, they are sent away for a time, until all is well; after which they return, as from a long visit. Those whom no power or influence could seduce, except that which is wielded by some individual feigning to be a God, must realize the remarks of an able writer, when he says, "if woman's feelings are turned to ministers of sorrow, where shall she look for consolation?" Her lot is to be wooed and want her heart is like some fortress that has been captured, sacked, abandoned, and left desolate. With her, the desire of the heart has failed-the great charm of existence is at an end; she neglects all the cheerful exercise of life, which gladen the spirits, quicken the pulses, and send the tide of life in healthful currents through the veins. Her rest is broken. The sweet refreshment of sleep is poisoned by melancholy dreams; dry sorrow drinks her blood, until her enfeebled frame sinks under the slightest external injury. Look for her after a little while, and you find friendship weeping over her untimely grave; and wondering that one who but so recently glowed with all the radiance of health and beauty, should so speedily be brought down to darkness and despair, you will be told of some wintry chill, of some casual indisposition that laid her low! But no one knows of the mental malady that previously sapped her strength, and made her so easy a pray to the spoiler. She is like some tender tree, the pride and beauty of the grove-graceful in its form, bright in its foliage, but with the worm praying at its heart; we find it withered when it should be most luxuriant. We see it drooping its branches to the earth, and shedding leaf by leaf until wasted and perished away, it falls in the stillness of the forest; and as we muse over the beautiful ruin, we strive in vain to recollect the blast or thunder-bolt that could have smitten it with decay. But no one knows the cause except the foul fiend who perpetrated the diabolical deed.

Our hearts have mourned and bled at the wretched and miserable condition of females in this place; many orphans have been the victims of misery and wretchedness, through the influence, that has been exerted over them, under the cloak of religion and afterwards, in consequence of that jealous dispositon which predominates over the minds of some, have been turned upon a wide world, fatherless and motherless, destitute of friends and fortune; and robbed of that which nothing but death can restore.

Men solace themselves by saying the facts slumber in the dark caverns of midnight. But Lo! it is sudden day, and the dark deeds of foul fiends shall be exposed from the house-tops. A departed spirit, once the resident of St. Louis, shall yet cry aloud for vengeance.

It is difficult--perhaps impossible--to describe the wretchedness of females in this place, without wounding the feelings of the benevolent, or shocking the delicacy of the refined; but the truth shall come to the world. The remedy can never be applied, unless the disease is known. The sympathy, ever anxious to relieve, cannot be felt before the misery is seen.--The charity that kindles at the tale of woe, can never act with adequate efficiency, till it is made to see the polllution and guilt of men, now buried in the death-shades of heathenism.--Shall we then, however painful the sight, shrink from the contemplation of their real state? We answer, we will not, if permitted to live. As we have before stated, it is the vicious principles of men we are determined to explode. It is not that we have any private feelings to gratify, or any private pique to settle, that has induced us to be thus plain; for we can respect and love the criminal, if there is any hope of reformation: but there is a point beyond which forbearance ceases to be a virtue.

The next important item which presents itself for our consideration, is the attempt at Political power and influence, which we verity believe to be preposterous and absurd. We believe, it is inconsistent, and not in accordance with the christian religion. We do not believe that God ever raised up a Prophet to christianize a world by political shhemes and intrigue. It is not the way God captivates the heart of the unbeliever; but on the contrary, by preaching truth in its own native simplicity, and in its own original purity, unadorned with anything except its own indigenous beauties. Joseph may plead he has been injured, abused, and his petitions treated with contempt by the general government, and that he only desires an influence of a political character that will warrant him redress of grievances; but we care not-the faithful followers of Jesus must bear in this age as well as Christ and the Apostles did anciently; although a frowning world may have crushed him to the dust; although unpitying friends may have passed him by; although hope, the great comforter in aaffliction, may have burst forth and fled from his troubled bosom; yet, in Jesus there is a balsom for every wound, and a cordial to assuage an agonized mind.

Among the many items of false doctrine that are taught the Church, is the doctrine of many Gods, one of the most direful in its effects taht has characterized the world for many centuries. We know not what to call it other than blasphemy, for it is most unquestionably, speaking of God in an impious and irreverent manner. It is contended that there are innumerable gods as much above the God that presides over this universe, as he is above us; and if he varies from the law unto which he is subjected, he, with all his creatures, will be cast down as was Lucifer: thus holding forth a doctrine which is effectually calculated to sap the very foundation of our faith, and now, O Lord! shall we set still and be silent, while thy name is thus blasphemed, and thine Honor, power and glory, brought into disrepute? See Isaiah c 43, v 10; 44, 6-8; 45, 5, 6, 21, 22; and book of Covenants, page 26 and 39.

In the dark ages of Poperty, when bigotry, superstition, and tyranny held universal sway over the empire of reason, ther was some semblance of justice in the inquisitiorial deliberations; which, however, might have been dictated by prudence, or the fear of consequences; but we are no longer forced to appeal to those states that are now situated under the influence of Popery for examples of injustice, cruelty and oppression-we can appeal to the acts of the inquisitorial deliverations, which, however, might have been dictated by prudence, or the fear of consequences: but we are no longer forced to appeal to those states that are now situated under the influence of popery for examples of injustice, cruelty and oppression-we can appeal to the acts of the inquisitorial department organized in Nauvoo, by Joseph and his accomplices, for specimens of injustice of the most perniciouis and diabolical character that ever stained the pages of the historian.

It was in Rome, and about the twelfth century, when Pope Innocent III, ordered father Dominic to excite the Catholic princes and people to extirpate heretics. But it is in this enlightened and intelligent nineteenth century, and in Nauvoo--a place professing to be the nucleus o the world, that Joseph Smith has established an inquisition, which, if it is suffered to exist, will prove more formidable and terrible to those who are found opposing the iniquities of Joseph and his associates, than ever the Spanish inquisiton did to heretics as they termed them.

On thursday evening, the 18th of April, there was a council called, unknown to the Church, which tried, condemned, and cut off brothers Wm. Law, Wilson Law, and sister Law, (Wm's. wife,) brother R. D. Foster, and one brother Smith, with whom we are unacquainted; which we contend is contrary to the book of Doctrine and Covenants, for our law condemnest no man until he is heard. We abhor and protest against any council or tribunal in this Church, which will not suffer the accused to stand in its midst and plead their own cause. If an Agrippa would suffer a Paul, whose eloquence surpassed, as it were, the eloquence of men, to stand before him, and plead his own cause, why should Joseph, with others, refuse to hear individuals in their own defence?--We answer, it is because the court fears the atrocity of its crimes will be exposed to public gaze. We wish the public to thoroughly understand the nature of this court, and judge of the legality of its acts as seemeth them good.

On Monday, the 15th of April, brother R.D. Foster had a notice served on him to appear before the High Council on Saturday following, the 20th, and answer to charges prefered against him by Joseph Smith. On Saturday, while Mr. Foster was preparing to take his witnesses, 4l in number, to the council-room, that he might make good his charges against Joseph, president Marks notified him that the trial had been on Thursday evening, before the 15th, and that he was cut off from the Church; and that same council cut off the brother Laws', sister Law, anad brother Smith, and all without their knowledge. They were not notified, neither did they dream of any such thing being done, for William Law had sent Joseph and some of the Twelve, special word that he desired an investigation before the Church o General Conference, on the 6th of Ap'l. The court, however, was a tribunal possessing no power to try Wm. Law, who was called by special Revelation, to stand as counsellor to the President of the Church. (Joseph,) which was twice ratified by General Conferences, assembled at Nauvoo, for Brigham Young, one of the Twelve, presided, whose duty it was not but the President of the High Council-See Book of Doctrine and Covanants, page 87.

Resolutions

Resolved lst, That we will not encourage the acts of any court in this church, for the trial of any of its members, which will not suffer the accused to be present and plead their own cause; we therefore declare our decided disapprobation to the course pursued last Thursday evening, (the 18th inst,) in the case of William and Wilson Law, and Mrs. William Law, and R.D. Foster, as being unjust and unauthorized by the laws of the Church, and consequently null and void; for our law judgeth no man unless he be heard; and to all those who approbate a course so unwarranted, unprecedented and so unjust, we would say beware lest the unjust measure you meet to your brethren, be again meeted out to you.

Resolved 2nd, Inasmuch as we have for years borne with the individual follies and iniquities of Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and many other official characters in the Church of Jesus Christ, (conceiving it a duty inclumbent upon us so to bear,) and having labored with them repeatedly with all Christian love, meekness and humbility, yet to no effect, feel as if forbearance has ceased to be a virtue, and hope of reformation vain; and inasmuch as they have introduced false and damnable doctrines into the Church, such as a plurality of gods above the God of this universe and his hability to fall with all his creations; the plurality of wives, for time and eternity; the doctrine of lunconditional sealing up to eternal life, against all crimes except that of sheding innocent blood, by a perversion of their priestly authority and thereby forfeiting the holy priesthood, according to the word of Jesus; "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." St. John, xv.6. "Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctirne of Christ, hath not God, he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son; if there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed, for he that abideth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds;" we therefore are constrained to denounce them as apostates from the pure and holy doctrines of Jesus Christ.

Resolved 3rd, That we disapprobate and discountenance every attempt to unite church and state; and that we further believe the effort now being made by Joseph Smith for political power and influence, is not commendable in the sight of God.

Resolved 4th, That the hostile spirit and conduct manifested by Joseph Smith, and many of his associates towards Missouri and others inimical to his purposes, are decidedly at variance with the true spirit of Christianity, and should not be encouraged by any people, much less by those professing to be the ministers of the gospel of peace.

Resolved 5th, that while we disapprobate mallicious persecutions and prosecutions, we hold that all church members are alike amenable to the laws of the land; and that we further discountenance any chicanery to screen them from the just demands of the same.

Resolved 6th, That we consider the religious influence exercised in financial concerns by Joseph Smith, as unjust as it is unwarranted, for the Book of Doctrine and Covenants makes it the duty of the Bishop to take charge of the financial affairs of the Church, and of all temporal matters pertaining to the same.

Resolved 7th, That we discountenance and disapprobate the attendance at houses of revelling and dancing; dram-shops and theatres; verily believing they have a tendency to lead from paths of virtue and holiness, to those of vice and debauchery.

Resolved 8th, That we look upon the pure and holy doctrines set forth in the Scriptures of Divine truth, as being the immutable doctrines of salvation; and he who abideth in them shall be saved, and he who abideth not in them can not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

Resolved 9th, That we consider the gathering in haste, and by sacrifice, to be contrary to the will of God; and that it has been taught by Joseph Smith and others for the purpose of enabling them to sell property at most exhorbitant prices, not regarding the welfare of the Church, but through their covetousness reducing those who had the means to give employment to the poor, to the necessity of seeking labor for themselves; and thus the wealth which is brought into the place is swallowed up by the one great throat, from whence there is no return, which if it had been economically disbursed amongst the whole would have rendered all comfortable.

Resolved 10th, That, notwithstanding our extensive acquaintance with the financial affairs of lthe Church, we do not know of any property which in reality belongs to the Church (except the Temple) and we therefore consider the injunction laid upon the saints compelling them to purchase property of the Trustee in trust for the Church, is a deception practiced upon them; and that we look upon the sending of special agents abroad to collect funds for the Temple and other purposes as a humbug practiced upon the saints by Joseph and others, to aggrandize themselves, as we do not believe that the monies and property so collected, ahave been applied as the donors expected, but have been used for speculative purposes, by Joseph, to gull the saints the better on their arrival at Nauvoo, by buying the lands in the vicinity and selling again to them at tenfold advance; and further that we verily believe the appropriations said to haave been subscribed by shares for the building of the Nauvoo House to have been used by J. Smith and Lyman Wight, for other purposes, as out of the mass of stock already taken, the building is far from being finished even to the base.

Resolved 11th, That we consider all secret societies, and combinations under penal oaths and obligations, (professing to be organized for religious purposes,) to be anti-Christian, hypocritical and corrupt.

Resolved 12th, That we will not acknowledge any man as king of law-giver to the church; for Christ is our only king and law-giver.

Resolved 13th, That we call upon the honest in heart, in the Church, and throughout the world, to vindicate the pure doctrines of Jesus Christ, whether set forth in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or Book of Covenants; and we hereby withdraw the hand of fellowship, from all those who practice or teach doctrines contrary to the above, until they cease so to do, and show works meet for repentance.

Resolved 14th, That we hereby notify all those holding licences to preach the gospel, who know they are guilty of teaching the doctrine of other Gods above the God of this creation; the plurality of wives; the unconditional sealing up against all crimes, save that of sheding innocent bood; the spoiling of the gentiles, and all other doctrines, (so called) which are contrary to the laws of God, or to the laws of our country, to cease preaching, and to come and make satisfaction, and have their licences renewed.

Resolved 15th, That in all our controversies in defence of truth and righteousness the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan; that our strifes are not against flesh, blood, nor bones; but against principalities and power, against spiritual wickedness in high places and therefore we will not use carnal weapons save in our own defence.

Affidavits.

I hereby certify that Hyrum Smith did, (in his office) read to me a certain written document, which he said was a revelation from God, he said that he was with Joseph when it was received. He afterwards gave me the document to read, and I took it to my house, and read it, and showed it to my wife, and returned it next day. The revelation (so called) authorized certain men to have more wives than one at a time, in this world and in the world to come. It said this was the law, and commanded Joseph to enter into the law.-And also that he should administer to others. Several other items were in the revelation, supporting the above doctrines.
WM. LAW
State of Illinois,
Hancock County,

I Robert D. Foster, certify that the above certificate was sworn to before me, as true in substance, this fourth day of May A.D. 1844.
ROBERT D. FOSTER J.P.

I certify that I read the revelation referred to in the above affidavit of my husband, it sustained in strong terms the doctrine of more wives that one at a time, in this world, and in the next, it authorized some to have to the number of ten, and set forth that those women who would not allow their husbands to have more wives than one should be under condemnation before God.
JANE LAW

Sworn and subscribed befoore me this fourth day of May, A.D. 1844.
ROBET D. FOSTER, J.P.

To all whom it may Concern:

Forasmuch as the public mind hath been much agitated by a course of procedure in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by a number of persons declaring aginst certain doctrines and practices therein, (among whom I am One,) it is but meet that I should give my reasons, at least in part, as a cause that hath led me to declare myself. In the latter part of the summer, 1843, the Patriarch, Hyrum Smith, did in the High Council, of which I was a member, introduce what he said was a revelation given through the Prophet; that the said Hyrum Smith did essay to read the said revealtion in the said Council, that according to his reading there was contained the following doctrines; lst the sealing up of persons to eternal life, against all sins, save that of sheding innocent blood or of consenting thereto; 2nd, the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or marrying virgins; that "David and Solomon had many wives, yet in this they sinned not save in the matter of Uriah. This revelation with other evidence, that the aforesaid heresies were taught and practiced in the Church; determined me to leave the office of first counsellor to the president of the Church at Nauvoo, inasmuch as I dared not teach or administer such laws. And further deponent saith not.
AUSTIN COWLES.
State of Illinois, }ss.
Hancock County, }

To all whom it may concern I hereby certify that the above certificate was sworn and subscribed before me, this fourth day of May, 1844.
ROBERT D. FOSTER, J.P.

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THE EXPOSITOR.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1844

SYLVESTER EMMONS, Editor.

Introductory

In greeting our patrons with the first number of the Expositor, a remark is necessary for the expression of some views, and certain principles by which we intend to be governed in our editorial duties. Many questions and surmises are made by those who suppose we will come in conflict with some of their darling schemes of self-aggrandisement. Others, more honest, desire to know whether our object is to advocate any particular religious tenets, or any favorite measures of either of the political parties of the country. To all such questions we answer to the negative. Free toleration in religious sentiments, we deem compatible with the organization of our government, and should not be abridged. On the other hand, we believe religious despotism to be incompatible with our free institutions. What we conceive to be despotism, engendered by an assumption of power in the name of religion, we shall have occasion to show bereafter. In relation to politics, whatever our own views may bbe upon the federal measures that now, or may hereafter agitate the country, the Expositor will not be the exponent thereof, and all the strife and party zeal of the two great antagonistical parties for the success of their respective candidates for the Presidency, we shall remain neutral, and in an editorial capacity, inactive. Anther party, however, has sprung up in our midst, the leader of which, it would seem, expects, by a flourish of Quixotial chivalry, to take, by storm, the Presidential chair, and distribute among his faithful suporters, the office of governor in all the different States, for the purpose, we presume, of more effectually consolidating the government. This party we may be disposed to treat with a little levity, but nothing more. As it respects the local questions which may arise in our own county, and the candidates for the legislature from this county, we reserve the right to expatiate upon the respective claims--not on account of their politics--be they whig or democrat, but on account of a combination which we believe has for its object the utter destruction of the rights of the old citizens of the county, who have borne the heat and burden of the day; who have labored hard as pioneers of the county; who have rights that should be respected by every principle of honor and good faith, and whosd wishes should be consulted in the choice of officers, and not have men imposed upon them, who are obnoxious, for good and sufficient reasons. In relation to such uestions, we intend to express our mind freely, as our duty dictates, regardless of consequences. If a fair and honorable course be taken by the dominant party at Mauvoo, we will have nothing to battle against; but if they do not pursue that course, we shall be prepared for the warfare. We must confess, however, if we are to judge of the future by the past, we have little to expect from that quarter: but apart from local political considerations, we have a high and more noble duty to perform. We shall spread the banner to the breeze for a radical reform in the city of Nauvoo, as the departure from moral rectitude, and the abuse of power, have become intolerable. We shall speak our, and spare not, until certain grievances are redressed or corrected; until honor, virtue, and reputation shall take their accustomed habitations, and be respected; until we teach men that no exclusive privileges can be allowed to any individual under our form of government; that the law of the land, based upon the revealed laws of heaven, are paramount to all other earthly considerations; and he who sets the laws at defiance, and evades their operation, either by direct or indirect means, pursues a course subversive of the best interests of the country, and dangerous to the well-being of the social compact. That there does exist an order of things with the systematic elements of organization in our midst--a system which, if exposed in its naked deformity, would make the virtuous mind revolt with horror; a system in the exercise of which lays prostrate all the dearest ties in our social relations--the glorious fabric upon which human happiness is based--ministers to the worst passions of our nature, and throws us back into the benighted regions of the dark ages, we have the greatest reason to believe.

The question is asked, will you bring a mob upon us? In answer to that, we assure all concerned, that we will be among the first to put down anything like an illegal force being used against any man or set of men. If any one has become amenable to the law, we wish to have him tried impartially by the laws of his country. We are among the number who believe that there is virtue and integrity enough in the administrators of the law, to bring every offender to justice, and to protect the innocent. If it is necessary to make a show of force, to execute legal process, it will create no sympathy in that case to cry out, we are mobbed. There is such a thing as persons being deceived into a false sympathy once, who, the second time, will scrutinize very closely, to know who, or which party, are the persecutors. It is not always the first man who cries out, stop thief, that is robbed. It is the upright, honest, considerate and moral precepts of any class that will be respected in this or any other enlightened age--precepts which have for their end the good of mankind, and the establishment of fundamental truths. On the other hand, paradoxical dogmas, new systems of government, new codes of morals, a new administration of the laws by ignorant, unlettered, and corrupt men, must be frowned down by every lover of his country. The well-being of society demand it at our hands. Our country, by whose laws we are prorected, asks us for a manifestatin of that patriotism which should inspire every American citizen--the interests of the State of Illinois require it, and as a citizen of Illinois, we intend to respond to the voice of duty, and stand the hazard of the die.

We believe that the Press should not be the medium through which the private character of any individual should be assailed, delineated, or exposed to public gaze: still, whoever acts in an official character, who sets himself up as a public teacher, and reformer of morals and religion, and as an aspirant to the highest office in the gift of the people of this glorious republic ..... institutions he publicly condemns, we assert and maintain the right of canvassing all the public acts and animadverting, with terms of the severest reproach upon all the revolutionary measures that come to our notice, frm any source. We would not be worthy of the name of an American citizen, did we stand by and see, not only the laws of the State, but the laws of the United States set at defiance, the authorities insulted, fugitives from justice fleeing for refuge, asking and receiving protection from the authorities of Nauvoo, for high crimes commited against the government of the United States, the Mayor of a petty incorporated town interposing his authority, and demanding the right of trial for the fugitive on the merits of the case, by virtue of a writ of Habeas Corpus, issued by the Municipal Court of Nauvoo. It is too gross a burlesque upon common sense--a subterfuge too low to indicate any thing but a corrupt motive.--Such acts, whether committed in a private or public capacity, will be held up to public scorn. An independent Press is bound by every sense of duty, to lay before the public every attack upon their rights: we, therefore, in the exercise of our duty, expect the support and the aid of our fellow citizens in our enterprise.

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We hope all those who intend subscribing for the "Expositor," will forward their names as soon as possible; Editors, Postmasters, and others, to whom the Prospectus, and paper may be sent, will confer a favor upon us, by noticing, exchanging, and circulating the same, in their respective vocations, and forwarding accordingly.

In consequence of the importance of the cause in which we have engaged, and the assurances we have received from different sources, we have concluded to issue one thousand copies of the first number of the paper, that all who wish, may be supplied, and further, that none may plead ignorance of our complaints, or exonerate themselves from an interest in our behalf. We do not wish, or expect, the publicatin of the "Expositor" to prove a matter of pecuniary profit, neither do we believe the public will suffer it to prove a loss. It is a subject in which we are all interested, more particularly the citizens of this county, and surrounding country; the case has assumed a formidable and fearful aspect, it is nt the destiny of a few that is involved in case of commtion, but that of thousands, wherein necessarily the innocent and helpless would be confounded with the criminal and guilty. We have anxiously desired, and strenuously advocated a peaceable redress of the injuries that have repeatedly been inflicted upon us, and we have now the means in our hands, through which we can peaceably and honorably effect our object. For ourselves, we are firmly resolved not to quit the field, till our efforts shall be crowned with success. And we now call upon all, who prize the liberty of speech,the liberty of the press, the right of conscience, and the sacred rights of American citizenship, to assist us in this undertaking. Let us stand up and boldly and fearlessly oppose ourselves to any and every encroachment, in whatever form it may appear, whether shaped in superstitious domination r civil usurpation. The public abroad have not been informed in relation to facts as they really existed in our midst, many have supposed that all was rumor, and having no organ through which to speak, our silence has been to them sufficient proof.

The facts have been far otherwise, we havewatched with painful emotion the progress of events in this city, for some time past, until we were sick with the sight; injurt upon injury has been repeated, insult has been added to insult till forbearance has ceased to be virtuous, and we now have the proud privilege, we have long wished for, of defending ourselves against their foul aggressions and aspersions and of informing the public of things as they really are. We intend to tell the hole tale and by all honorable means to bring to light and justice, those who have long fed and fattened upon the purse, the property, andthe character of injured innocence;--yes, we will speak, and that too in thunder tones, to the ears of those who have thus ravaged and laid waste fond hopes, bright prospects, and virtuous principles, to gratify an unhallowed ambition. We are aware of the critical position we occupy, in view of our immediate location; but we entertain no fears, our purpose is fixed [ ] our arm is nerved for the conflict, we [ ] upon ouor rights, and we will maintain those rights, whatever may be the consequence; let no man or set of men assail us at the peril of their lives, and we hereby give notice to all parties, that we are the last in attack, but the first and foremost in defence. We would be among the last to proboke the spirit of the public abroad unnecessarily, but we have abundant assurance, in case of emergency, that we shall be all there.

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An individual, bearing the cognomen of Jeremiah Smith, who has evaded the officers for some time, has taken refuge in the city of Nauvoo. It appears he is a fugitive from justice for the offence of procuring four thousand dollars from the United States Treasury at the city of Washington, under false pretences. A bill of indictment was found in the District of Columbia against him, and a warrant issued for his arrest. The Marshal of Iowa Territory got intelligence of his being in this place, and procuring the necessary papers for his arrest, proceeded to this place in search of him, about three weeks ago. After making inquiry, and becoming satisfied that he was secreted in Nauvoo, under the immediate protection of the Prophet, he said to him (the Prophet,) that he was authorised to arrest the said J. Smith, for an offence committed by him against the United States government, and wished to know where he was--to which the Prophet replied, that he knew nothing about him. The Marshal said he knew he was secreted in the city, and was determined to have him; and, unless he was given up, he would have the aid of the Dragoons to find and arrest him. Joseph Smith then replied, that was not necessary; but, if the Marshal would pledge his word and honor that he should have the benefit of a city writ of Habeas Corpus, and be tried before him, he would produce the fugitive in half an hour. After some hesitancy, the Marshal agreed to do so, when the prisoner was produced in the time specified. A writ of Habeas Corpus was issued, and the prisoner taken from the Marshal and brought before the Municipal court of Nauvoo for trial. The court adjourned until thursday, the 30th ult., when he was tried, and discharged, as a matter of course. In the interval, however, application had been made to Judge Pope, of the District court of the United States for the State of Illinois, who issued his warrant, directed to the United States Marshal, who sent his deputy to make a second arrest, in the case the other officer did not succeed in taking him from the city. Smith was found by the Illinois Marshal and arrested, when it became necessary for the high corporate powers of the city again to interpose their authority. The potent writ was again issued--the prisoner taken from the Marshal--a trial had, during which, the attorneys for Smith relieved themselves of an insupportable burthen of legal knowledge, which completely overwhelmed the learned court, and resulted in the triumphantacuittal of the prisoner, with a judgement for costs against the U. States.

Now we ask if the executive and judicial authorities of Illinois deem it politic to submit to such a state of things in similar cases? Can, and will the constituted authorities of the federal government be quiescent under such circumstances, and allow the paramount laws of the Union to be set at defiance, and rendered nugatory by the action of a court, having no more than co-ordinate powers, with a common justice of the peaace? If such an order of things is allowed to exist, there is every reason to believe that Nauvoo will become a sink of refuge for every offender who can carry in spoils enough to buy protection. The people of the State of Illinois will, consequently, see the necessity of repealing the charter of Nauvoo, when such abuses are practiced under it ; and by virtue of said chartered authority, the right of the writ of Habeas Corpus in all cases arising under the city ordinance, to give full scope to the desired jurisdiction. The city council have passed ordinances, giving the Municipal court authority to issue the writ of Habeas Corpus in all cases when the prisoner is held in custody in Nauvoo, no matter whether the offender is committed in the State of Maine, or on the continent of Europe, the prisoner being in the city under arrest. It is gravely contended by the legal luminaries of Nauvoo, that the ordinances gives them jurisdiction, not only jurisdiction to try the validity of the writ, but to enquire into the merits of the case, and allow the prisoner to swear himself clear of the chaarges. If his own oath is not considered sufficient to satisfy the adverse party, plenty of witnesses are ready to swear that he is to be believed n oath, and that is to be considered sufficient by the court to put the uietus on all foreign testimony and the discharge of the prisoner follows, as a necessary conseuence.

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Joe. Smith--The Presidency.

We find in the Nauvoo Neighbor of May 29th, a lengthy letter from Joseph Smith a candidate for the Presidency on his own hook, to Henry Clay, the Whig candidate for the same office. It appears to be a new rule of tactics for two rival candidates to enter into a discussion of their respective claims to that high office, just preceding an election. Smith charges Clay with shrinking from the responsibility of promising to grant whatever the Mormons might ask, if elected to the Presidency. Smith has not been troubled with any inquiries of committees as to what measures he will recommend if elected; nevertheless he has come out boldly and volunteered his views of certain measures which he is in favor of having adopted. One is for the General Government to purchase the slaves of the south and set them free, that we can understand. Another is to pass a general uniform land law, that certainly requires the spirit of interpretation to show its meaning as no explanation accompanies it. Another which no doubt will be very congenial to the candidate's nervous system, is to open all the prison doors on the country, and set the captives free. These with some other suggestions equally as enlightened, ought to be sufficient to satisfy any man that Joseph Smith is willing that his principles shall be publicly known. If however any individual voter, who has a perfect right to know a candidate's principles, should not be satisfied, he may further aid his inquiries, by a reference to the record to the grand inquest of Hancock County.

Martin Van Buren is charged with non-commitalism; Henry Clay has not been the man to answer frankly the question whether he would restore to the Mormons their lands in Missouri. Joseph Smith is the only candidate now before the people whose principles are fully known; let it be remembered there are documents the highest degree of evidence before the people; a committee of twenty-four, under the solemnity of their oaths, have inquired into andreported upon his claims in due form of law. Shades of Washington and Jefferson--Henry Clay the candidate of a powerful party, is now under bonds to keep the peace; Joseph Smith, the candidate of another "powerful" party has two indictments against him, one for fornication and adultery, another for perjury. Our readers can make their own comments.

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We have received the last number oof the "Warsaw Signal;" it is rich with anti-Mormon matter, both editorial and communicated. Among other things it contains a lengthy letter from J.H.Jackson, giving some itims in relation to his connection with the "Mormon Prophet," as also his reasnos for the same. It will be perceived that many of the most dark and damnable crimes that ever darkened human character, which have hitherto been to the public, a matter of rumor and suspicion, are now reduced to indisputable facts. We have reason to believe, from our aquaintance with Mr. Jackson, and our own observation, that the statements he makes are true; and in view of these facts, we ask, in the name of heaven, where is the safety of our lives and liberties, when placed at the disposal of such heaven daring, hell deserving, God forsaken villains. Our blood boils while we refer to these blood thirsty and murderous propensities of men, or rather demons in human shape, who, not satisfied with practising their dupes upon a credulous and superstitious people, must wreak their vengeance upon any who may dare to come in contact with them. We deplore the desperate state of things to which we are necessarily brought, but, we say to our friends, "keep cool," and the whole tale will be told. We fully believe in bringing these iniquities and enormities to light, and let the majesty of violated law, and the voice of injured innocence and contemned public opinion, speak in tones of thunder to these miscreants; but in behalf of hundreds and thousands of unoffending citizens, whose only fault is religious enthusiasm, and for the honor of our own names and reputatin, let us not follow their desperado measures, and thereby dishonor ourselves in revenging our own wrongs. Let our motto be, "Last in attack, but first in defence;" and the result cannot prove otherwise than honorable and satisfactory.

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To Correspondents.

In consequence of a press of other duties in preparing our first number for the press, we have not had time to examine several communications that have been forwarded for publication. We respect the motives of our friends in the interest they manifest in carrying forward the work of reform; but we wish it to be distinctly understood, that we cannot depart from the conditions set forth in the Prospectus; that is the chart by which we intend to navigate the "Expositor," carefully avoiding any thing that may tend to diminish the interest or tarnish the character of its columns. We already feel that we occupy an unenviable position in view of the variety of opinions that exist, but, we stand committed as to our course, and having faithfully and fearlessly adhered to those terms, without partiality to friends, or personality to foes, we shall consider ourselves honorably discharged of duty.

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We offer an apology to our readers for the want of arrangement and taste in our first number on account of our materials and press not being in order; the shrt time we have had to get a press and materials has precluded the possibility of getting the first number oout according to our wishes, and the absence of the Editor for several days preceding ur first issue, renders this apology necessary. In our subsequent numbers we intend to maake good the insufficiency by giving to our readers a good selection of miscellany, and an editorial of rich and interesting matter.

PROPRIETORS.

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Circuit Court.

The May Term of the Circuit Court of this county closed on the 30th ult. after a session of ten days. We understand a large number of cases were disposed of, none, however of a very important character. The cases wherein Joseph Smith was a party, were transferred by a change of venue, to other courts; that of A. Sympson vs. J. Smith, for false imprisonment, to Adams County; that of F. M. Higbee vs. J. Smith, for slander, and that of C. A. Foster vw. Jseph Smith, and J. W. Coolidge for false imprisonment, and that of A. Davis vs. Joseph Smith, and J. P. Green, for trespass, were all transferred to the County of McDonough. The Grand Jury found two bills against Smith, one for perjury, and another for fornication and adultery; on the first of which Smith delivered himself up for trial, but the State not being ready, material witnesses being absent, the case was deferred to the October term.

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The regular session of the Municipal Court of this City came off on Monday last. The cases of R. D. Foster, C. L. Higbee, and C. A. Foster, on appeals from the Mayor's Court, wherein they had each been fined in the sum of one hundred dollars, "for the very enormous offence of refusing to assist the notorious O. P. Rockwell, and his "dignity" John P. Green, in arresting a respectable and peaceable citizen, without the regular process of papers) and of A. Spencer, wherein he was fined in the same sum on a charge of assault and battery, were all taken up and gravely discussed; after the most mature deliberation, with the assistance of the ex-tinguished City Attorney, this honorable body concluded to dismiss the suit and issue a procedendo to the lower court, which was accordingly done.

The cases referred to above, afford abundant reason both for complaint and comment. We intend as soon as our time will allow, to express our views freely upon this feature of Mormon usurpation; first, enact a string of ordinances contrary to reason and common sense, and then inflict the severest penalties for not observing them.

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We see that our friend the Neighbor, advocates the claims of Gen. Joseph Smith for the Presidency; we also see from teh records of the grand Jury of Hancock Co. at their recent term, that the general is a candidate to represent the branch of the state government at Alton. We would respectfully suggest to the Neighbor, whether the two offices are not incompatible with each other.

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Nauvoo, June 5th, 1844.

Citizens Of Hancock County.

It is well known to all of you that the August electin is fast approaching, and with it comes the great and terrible conflict. It is destined to be a day pregnant with big events; for it will be the index to the future. -- Should we be defeated upn that occasion, our die is cast, and our fate is sealed; but if successful, alike may Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, and their devoted followers, as well as their enemies, expect that justice will be meted out. The present is portentious of the great effort that is to be made upon that occasion, by Joseph for power; Hiram Smith is already in the field as a candidate for the legislature, but will you support him, that same Hyrum Smith the devoted follower and brother of Joe, who feigned a revelation from God, directing the citizens of Hancock County to vote for J.P. Hoge, in preference to Cyrus Walker, and by so doing blaspheming the name of God? Will you, gentlemen of Hancock County, support a man like that, who claims to move in a different sphere, a sphere entirely above you, one who will trifle with the things of Gd, and feign converse with the Divinity, for the sake of carrying an election? I will unhesitatingly assume to myself the responsibility of answering in the negative. I flatter myself you are not so depraved, and so blinded to your own interests, as to support a man totally ignorant of the laws of your country, and in every respect alienated from you and your interests.

In supporting Hyrum Smith, you Citizens of Hancock County, are supporting Joseph Smith, for whom he (Hyrum) goes teeth and toe nails, for President of the United States. The question may arise here, in voting for Joseph Smith, for whom am I voting? You are voting for a man who contends all governments are to be put down and the one established upon its ruins. You are voting for an enemy to youor government, hear Phelps to Joe in his affidavit before Judge King of Missouri:--"Have you come to the point to resist all law?" "I have," says Joe. You are voting for a sycophant, whose attempt for power find no parallel in history. You are voting for a man who refuses to suffer criminals to be brought to justice, but in the stead thereof rescues them from the just demands of the law, by Habeas Corpus. You are voting for a man who stands indicted, and who is now held to bail, for the crimes of adultery and perjury; two of the gravest crimes known to our laws. Query not then for whom you are voting, it is for one of the blackest and basest scoundrels that has appeared upon the stage of human existence since the days of Nero, and Caligula.

In supporting Hyrum Smith, then are you not supporting Joseph Smith? most assuredly; pause then my countrymen, and consider cooly, calmly and deliberately, what you do? Support not that man who is spreading death, devastation and ruin throughout you happy country like a tornado. Infinite are the gradations which mark this man's attempts for power, which if not checked soon, must not only shed a deleterious influence on the face of this county, but on the face of the adjoining counties. He is already proudly boasting that he is beyond your reack; and I regret to think I am under the painful necessity of admitting the fact. Is it not a shame and a disgrace, to think we have a man in our midst, who will defy the laws of our country; the laws which shed so gentle and nourishing an influence upon our fathers, which fostered and protected them in their old age from insult and aggression; shall we their sons, lie still and suffer Joseph Smith to light up the lamp of tyranny and oppression in our midst? God forbid, lest the departed spirits of our fathers, cry from the ground against us. Let us arise in the majesty of our strength and sweep the influence of tyrants and miscreants from the face of the land, as with the breath of heaven. The eagle that is now proudly borne to earth's remotest regions by every gale, will perch himself in the solitude of mid-night if we do not arouse from our lethargy.

It is the worst of absurdities for any individual to say there is a man in our midst who is above the reach of violated law, and not lend a helping hand; all talk and nothing more will not accomplish that for your country and your God, which the acts of Washington did. Then gentlemen organize yourselves and prepare for the dreadful conflict in August; we go with you heart and hand, in the attempt to suppress this contaminating influence which is prostrating our fairest prospects, and spreading desolation throughout our vale. Call into the field your best men under the solemn pledge to go for the undconoditional repeal of the Nauvoo Charter, and you have our support; whether they be Whig or Democrat we care not; when a friend presents us with a draught of cool water, we do not stop to inquire whether it is contained in a silver vase, a golden urn or a long handled gourd. We want no base seducer, liar and perjured representative, to represent us in Springfield, but while Murrill represents Tennessee in Nashville, Munroe Edwards, New York, in Sing Sing, Br. Joseph may have the extreme goodness to represent Illinois in Alton, if his lawyers do not succeed in quashing the indictments found against him by the Grand Jurors of Hancock County, at the May term 1844.

FRANCIS M. HIGBEE.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mormons.

We last week gave some account of the dissensions and divisions which have sprung up in the holy city of Nauvoo -- growing out of the arbitrary conduct of "the Prophet." -- Since then, the breach has become still wider between the head of the church and his followers. The citizens have procured a press, and will soon cmmence a paper, for the purpose of exposing Smith on his own ground and among his own people. Last week, individuals of the Mormon faith, (Messrs. Blakesley and Higbee,) representing the dissenters, addressed a large number of our citizens, in reference to the "flare up," at Nauvoo. We were not present, but have it from others who were, that the dissenters, made out that Joe Smith was pretty much of a rough customer, especially in relation to the "spiritual wife" dictrine. Their whole aim was principally against the church -- of which they still claimed to be members. They painted Smith, as any thing but the saint he claims to be -- and as a man, to the last degree, corrupt in his morals and religion. On Wednesday night, Mr. John P. Green, a Mormon elder, addressed a crowded house in defence of "the Prophet." The principal portion of the worthy elder's speech, while we were in the house, was taken up, in an apology for addressing the meeting, and when he did come to the substance of his address, he could only disprove the statements made by the dissenters, from his own knowledge -- he said he had been a Mormon for the last twelve years -- and had always been intimate with Smith, and that such doctrines as were ascribed to Smith by his enemies, had never been taught to him. He further said that Smith was like a diamond, the more he was rubbed, the brighter he appeared -- and he strongly insinuated, that the characters of the individuals, who had assailed Smith on the second evening previous, were none of the best, &c.

We think these Mormon Missionaries are laaboring under a mistake in one particular. It is not so much the particular doctrines, which Smith upholds and practices, however abominable they may be in themselves, that our citizens care about -- as it is the anti-republican nature of the organizatin, over which he has almost supreme control -- and which is trained and disciplined to act in accordance with his selfish will. The spectacle presented in Smith's case of a civil, ecclesiastical and military leader, united in one and the same person, with power over life and liberty, can never find favor in the minds of sound and thinking Republicans. The day has gone by when the precepts of Divine Truth, could be propagated at the point of the sword -- or the Bible made the medium of corrupt men to gratify their lustful appetites and sordid desires--[Quincy Whig.

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We have received from Nauvoo a Prospectus for a new paper, to be entitled the "Nauvoo Expositor." It is intended to be the organ of the Reformed Mormon Church, which has lately been organized in that place, and to oppose the power of `the self-constituted Monarch,' who has assumed the government of the Holy City. We care no more aboout the New Church than the Old one, as a church; for we regard both with indifference. But if it can be a means of humbling the haughty miscreant who rules in that city and exposing his rank villianies, than we shall wish both Church and Paper a hearty God speed! The gentlemen who have the new paper in charge, have the reputation of being men of character and talent; and have commenced the work in which they are engaged, in real earnest. We hope the public will encourage their effort. -- Upper Mississippian.

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Extract From "Gen. Smiths Views."

"The people may have faults but they never should be trifled with. I think Mr. Pitt's quotation in the British Parliament of Mr. Prior's couplet for the husband and wife, to apply to the course which the king and ministry of England should pursue to the then colonies, of the now United States, might be a genuine rule of action for some of the breath made men in high places, to use towards the posterity of that noble daring people.

"Be to her faults a little blind;
Be to her virtues very kind."

"We have had democratic presidents; whig presidents; a pseudo democratic whig president: and now it is time to have a president of the United States; and let the people of the whole union, like the inflexible Romans, whenever they find a promise made by a candidate, that is not practiced as an officer, hurl the miserable sycophant from his exaltation, as God did Nebuchadnezzar, to crop the grass of the field, with a beast's heart among the cattle.

"Mr. Van Buren said in his inaugural address, that he went "into the presidential chair the inflexible and uncompromising oppnent of Cngress, to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, against the wishes of the slave holding states; and also with a determination equally decided to resist the slightest interference with it in the states where it exists." Poor little Matty made his rhapsodical sweep with the fact before his eyes, that the state of New York, his native state, had abolished slavery, without a struggle or a groan. Great God, ow independent! From henceforth slavery is tolerated where it exists: constitution or no constitution; people or no people; right or wrong; vox Matti; vox Diaboli: "the voice of Matty" -- "the voice of the devil;" and peradventure, his great "Sub-Treasury" scheme was a piece of the same mind: but the man and his measures have such a striking resemblance to the anecdote of the Welchman and his cart-tongue, that, when the constitution was so long that it allowed slavery at the capital of a free people, it could not be cut off; but when it was short that it needed a Sub-Treasury, to save the funds of the nation, it could be spliced! Oh, granny what a long tale our puss has got! As a Greek might say, hysteron proteron: The cart before the horse: but his mighty whisk through the great national fire, for the presidential chesnuts, burnt the locks of his glory with the blaze of his folly!

The above we extract from the celebrated state paper, entitled, "Gen. Smiths' views of the powers and policy of the Government of the United States," as a specimen of the original matter it contains. -- With such astute penetrating views, such exalted and dignified sentiments, emanating from a candidate for the Presidency, Father Miller must be pronounced a humbug, and the people of the nineteenth century may look for the dawn of a glorious era to burst upon their astonished vision in the fall of eighteen hundred and forty-four, an era in which a Prophet only can tell whether granny's cat has a long tail or not; or whether the Greek`s cart will be before the horse or otherwise; the constitution we presume will be as long as the Welchman's cart tongue, "peradventure" a little longer.

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Prospectus Of The Nauvoo Expositor.

The undersigned propose publishing a Journal of the above title, which will appear on Friday of each week, on an Imperial sheet, with a new Press, and materials of the best quality, and rendered worthy of the patronage of a discerning and an enlightened public.

The Expositor will be devoted to a general diffusion of useful knwledge, and its columns open for the admission of all courteous communications of a Religious, Moral, Social, Literary, or Political character, without taking a decided stand in favor of either of the great Political parties of the country. A part of its columns will be devoted to a few primart objects, which the Publishers deem of vital importance to the public welfare. Their particular locality gives them a knowledge of the many gross abuses exercised under the pretended authorities of the Nauvoo City Charter, by the legislative authorities of said city; and the insupportable oppressions of the Ministerial powers in carrying out the unjust, illegal, and unconstitutional ordinances of the same. The publishers, therefore, deep it a sacred duty they owe to their country and their fellow citizens, to advocate, through the columns of the Expositor, the UNCONDITIONAL REPEAL OF THE NAUVOO CITY CHARTER; to restrain and correct the abuses of the Unit Power; to ward off the Iron Rod which is held over the devoted heads of the citizens of Muavo and the surrounding country; to advocate unmitigated disobedience to Political Revelations, and to censure and decry gross moral imperfections wherever found, either in the Plebian, Patrician, or self-constituted Monarch; to advocate the pure principles of morality, the pure principles of truth; designed not to destroy, but strengthen the main-spring of God's moral government; to advocate, and exercise, the freedom of speech in Nauvoo, independent of the ordinances abridging the same; to give free toleration to every man's religious sentiments, and sustain all in worshiping God according to the monitons of their consciences, as guarantied by the Constitution of our country; and to oppose, with uncompromising hostility, any Union of Church and State, or any preliminary step tending to the same; to sustain all, however humble, in their equal and cnstitutional rights, and oppose the sacrifice of the Liberty, the Property, and the Happiness of the many to the pride and ambition of the few. In a word, to give a full, candid, and succinct statement of facts as they exist in the city of Nauvoo, fearless of whose particular case they may apply, being governed by the laws of Editorial courtesy, and the inherent dignity which is inseparable from honorable minds; at the same time exercising their own judgment in cases of flagrant abuses, or moral delinquencies; to use such terms and names as they deem proper, when the object is of such high importance that the end will justify the means. We confidently look to an enlightened public for aid in this great and indispensable effort.

The columns of the Expositor will be open to the discussion of all matters of public interest, the productions of all correspondents being subject to the decision of the Editor alone, who shall receive or reject at his option. National questions will be in place, but no preference given to either of the political parties. The Editorial department will contain the political news of the day, proceedings of Congress, election returns, &c., &c. Room will be given for articles on Agriculture, the Mechanic Arts, Commercial transactions, &c.

The publishers bind themselves to issue the paper weekly for one year, and forward fifty-two copies to each subscriber during the year. Orders should be forwarded as soon as possible, that the publishers may know what number of copies to issue. The publishers take pleasure in announcing to the public, that they have engaged the services of SYLVESTER EMMONS, Esq., who will have entire charge of the editorial department. From an acquaintance with the dignity of character, and literary qualifications of this gentleman, they feel assured that the Nauvoo Expositor must and will sustain a high and honorable reputation.

Terms
Two Dollars perannum in advance,
Two Dollars and Fifty cents at the expiration of six months,
Three Dollars at the end of the year.
Six copies will be forwarded to one address for Ten dollars in advance; Thirteen copies for Twenty Dollars, &c.
Advertising and Job Work in all their varieties, done on short notice, and upon the most satisfactory terms.
All letters and communications must be addressed to "Charles A. Foster, Nauvoo, Illinois," post paid, in order to insure attention.

William Law,
Wilson Law,
Charles Ivins,
Francis M. Higbee,
Chauncey L. Higbee,
Robert D. Foster,
Charles A. Foster. }
}
}
}Publishers.
}
}
}

Lying For the god of Mormonism

2009-10-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

Robert Millet is teaching the LDS missionaries how not to answer the question that was asked, but answer the question that should have been ask. If the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) is the one true church why does it need to lie?

Woe to Mormon Prophets and Apostles, Hypocrites and Blind Guides

2009-09-10T12:41:00.001-07:00

.:THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE MORMON NAUVOO PAGEANT

2009-05-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Nauvoo Pageant is a yearly event here in Nauvoo put on by the Mormon Church. It is a grand outdoor production that is very well done and draws thousands of Mormons and non-Mormons alike. The performance and choreography are first class; however, the story line is pure “Faith Promoting” Mormon History. Many half-truths are portrayed and some downright deceptions as well. In this issue of “The Midwest Expositor” I’ll attempt to address some of these items.
Since the “Pageant” opens with the character of Parley P. Pratt reminiscing about Nauvoo, let’s start with him.

Parley P. Pratt

Parley P. Pratt was one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles. Today’s Mormon History paints him as a real stalwart of the faith and a stellar example—he was anything but that!
Parley died at the hands of an outraged jealous husband, Hector McLean. Parley had stolen McLean’s wife and married her while she was still married to McLean. This woman, Eleanor McComb McLean, became Parley’s 12th wife.
In the closing scene of the pageant, Parley’s wife Mary Ann comes running out and his kids come running to him as they are to begin leaving for Salt Lake City. At this point in history Parley had at least four other polygamous wives and Mary Ann had married Joseph Smith. Why weren’t all the wives running out on stage?
Mary Ann found out that Parley had gone on a Mormon Mission and secretly married another wife, took her with him on his mission, and fathered a child with wife number 5, possibly while on this mission trip.
Mary Ann, before divorcing Parley, married Joseph Smith and became one of his polygamous wives. She had a child in 1844 that was named Moroni, and is believed to have been fathered by Joseph Smith.
Parley was killed in May of 1857 by the outraged husband of his 12th polygamous wife, Eleanor McLean. Parley had gone on a “missions” trip to San Francisco, where he first met Eleanor McLean. She became infatuated with him. Her husband, Hector, told Mormon Apostle Pratt to stay away from his wife. “In the S. F. Bulletin of March 24, 1877, it is stated that the apostle made the acquaintance of Mrs. McLean while engaged in missionary work in San Francisco; that her husband, who was a custom-house official and a respectable citizen, ordered him to discontinue his visits, and kicked him out of the house for continuing them surreptitiously; and that the woman was so infatuated with the Mormon Elder that she devoutly washed his feet whenever he visited her.” (Bancroft’s History of Utah, pg. 546)
When Parley left San Francisco and went back to Utah, Eleanor left her husband and children and followed him to Salt Lake City. Eleanor, though still married to Hector, married Parley and became his 12th polygamous wife.
“At summer’s end in 1856, Pratt had left Utah with his new wife, the former Eleanor McLean, on a mission to the eastern states. Eleanor was determined to reclaim her children, who were living in her parents’ mansion in New Orleans.” (Blood of the Prophets, pg. 68) When Pratt and his new wife Eleanor arrived in Missouri, they split up and she proceeded to New Orleans on her own.
“In New Orleans Eleanor told her parents ‘she had been to Utah and had been a teacher there, had boarded at Gov. Brigham Young’s, only boarded, had seen much suffering due to famine, and had seen also the error of her ways. Said she had been mad.’ She still believed the Mormons were good people and that Young and his associates were true prophets, but she won the confidence of her parents. One Saturday morning she spirited her children away and took them to Texas, hoping to rendezvous with Pratt. She worked in Houston as a seamstress and on March 4, 1857, left the city with Elder James Gemmel to join a Utah-bound wagon train assembling in Ellis County.” (Blood of the Prophets, pg. 69)
“McLean learned his wife was in Houston using the name Lucy R. Parker and set off in pursuit. In Texas he intercepted a letter Pratt had sent to Eleanor, instructing her to ‘fly instantly’ northward and rendezvous with him on the Arkansas River. ‘My carriage shall await you there if the Lord will,’ he promised. Armed with Pratt’s instructions, McLean headed for Indian Territory…After a long pursuit McLean caught his wife in the Creek Nation and had her arrested. Eleanor said he threw her on the ground and seized the children.” (Blood of the Prophets, pg. 69)
Shortly after Eleanor was arrested, Pratt was caught and arrested as well. He was taken to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and put on trial. “The next morning before a packed courtroom, McLean related ‘the burden of [his] soul’s anguish.’ Some five hundred spectators listened to him implicate the scoundrel apostle, producing intense excitement. Twice McLean thought the crowd would tear Pratt to pieces, but even he admitted he did not have sufficient evidence to convict his wife-and her-lover.
Fearing the mob would lynch his prisoner, the magistrate postponed the case twice. The next morning he had Pratt’s horse brought to the jail and quietly released him. McLean’s friends reported Pratt’s escape, and with two companions, McLean tracked the unarmed man. On the western border of Arkansas, McLean shot and stabbed his rival from horseback and left him for dead.” (Blood of the Prophets, pg. 70)
So, Parley P. Pratt was murdered by Hector McLean. Do we condone such an action? Never; but, on the flipside of the coin, Pratt was not a martyr for the cause of Mormonism—He was murdered because he became involved with another man’s wife and then attempted to steal his children. Parley wasn’t a martyr; he was a scalawag!!
The other information about Parley marrying a woman that his first wife, Mary Ann Frost, didn’t know about; then took this new wife on a “missions trip” with him; and, Mary Ann becoming Joseph Smith’s wife and possibly having a child with him, was all new information to me. It’s kind of an interesting pattern here isn’t it: marry a new wife and take her on a “missions trip”; this exact same pattern cost him his life.
“1846 Pratt exchanged strong words in the Nauvoo Temple with his brother Orson over Parley’s accusations that Orson’s wife Sarah was “ruining and breaking up his family.” Orson, expelled from the temple, complained to Brigham Young about Parley’s alleged immorality: “If he feels at liberty to go into the city of New York or elsewhere and seduce girls or females and sleep and have connexion [sic] with them contrary to the law of God, and the sacred counsels of his brethren, it is something that does not concern me.” Orson was referring to Parley’s relations with Belinda Marden, to whom he had been secretly sealed on November 20, 1844. At the time Belinda accompanied Pratt on a mission to New York, not even his wife, Mary Ann, was aware of the marriage. When Belinda gave birth to a son (1846), Mary Ann asked Belinda if the child were illegitimate. Told the truth, Mary Ann immediately severed her marital relationship with Pratt, though she did not divorce him until 1853, after coming to Utah.” (A Book of Mormons, Van Wagoner and Walker, pg.221).

Let’s look at Mary Ann’s marriage to Joseph Smith, she being listed as Joseph’s 35th polygamous wife. “The Nauvoo Temple Record states that in February 1846 Mary Ann Frost was sealed to Joseph Smith “for eternity,” her husband, Parley P. Pratt, standing as proxy. This is the only reference I have found linking Mrs. Parley Pratt’s name to that of the prophet, but since nearly all of the wives sealed to Joseph Smith in Nauvoo temple had clearly been married to him during his lifetime, it may be assumed that Mrs. Pratt had also been.
Mary Ann Frost was born on January 11, 1809 at Groton, Vermont, and was married to Pratt on May 9, 1837. Since she was in England with Pratt from the fall of 1840 to April 1843, it is unlikely that she became a plural wife of Joseph Smith before the latter date. Her son, Moroni, born on December 7, 1844 may be added to the list of boys who might possibly have been sons of Joseph Smith.” (No Man Knows My History, 1995, pg. 484)

Aunt Jane
One of the big things the Pageant highlights is a black woman, Sister Manning, arriving in Nauvoo; she and her family being destitute after the extreme journey. At center stage, Joseph Smith puts his arm around her and says, (I’m paraphrasing here), “We’ll take care of you. You’re safe with us.” Of course, what is totally missing is the racist Mormon Doctrine on those of African descent. Sharing the same stage with the black Sister Manning is Brigham Young and John Taylor, the 2nd and 3rd Mormon Prophets. Let’s look at some statements by them about those of African descent.
Brigham Young said, “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, pg. 110)
John Taylor said, “And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham’s wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the Devil should have a representative upon the earth as well as God.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 22, pg. 304)
Has the Mormon Church ever denounced these racist statements or rescinded its doctrine on the inferiority of blacks based upon its “Pre-existence” doctrine? No, it has not!
The real zinger here about Sister Manning that is totally left out of the Pageant, is that she tried her whole life to be allowed to go through the Mormon temple to receive her “Endowment” as the white folk were allowed to do. She died not being allowed the ability to accomplish that event; however, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church did allow her a special ceremony where she was sealed to Joseph Smith as his servant for eternity: “Instead the First Presidency “decided she might be adopted into the family of Joseph Smith as a servant, which was done, a special ceremony having been prepared for the purpose.” The minutes of the Council of Twelve Apostles continued, “But Aunt Jane was not satisfied with this, and as a mark of dissatisfaction she applied again after this for sealing blessings, but of course in vain.” (Black Saints in a White Church, pp. 40-41)
I find it quite disingenuous of the Mormon Church to make such a big play of Joseph Smith and Jane Manning, this early black Latter-day Saint. The Mormon Church is trying very hard to rewrite their racist history and discriminatory doctrine concerning those of African descent. The truth is, this woman and her family were never treated as equals as the Pageant attempts to imply, and each time she applied to be allowed to participate in the Mormon Temple Ceremonies she was denied. The Paul Harvey, “rest of the story” is that she was given the privilege to become Joseph Smith’s slave for eternity. Now, I wonder why the Mormon Church leaves that part out of the Pageant?

The “Exodus”
At the end of the Pageant a very heart-wrenching statement is made that the Mormons only had four hours notice to pack their things and leave Nauvoo in the dead of winter. I totally agree that the Mormons suffered terribly in their departure of Nauvoo and their trek across Southern Iowa in the dead of winter. There is simply no question about that; however, what is the whole story here, instead of the rewritten history designed to gender up sympathy?
All of the mayors of the towns around Nauvoo had agreed with the Mormon leadership to keep their people under control, as it had been proposed, and agreed, that the Mormons would leave Nauvoo after the spring thaw. So, why did the Mormons leave in the dead of winter in February, instead of waiting until the spring thaw as previously agreed? “Warrants pending for the arrest of Brigham Young and other leaders on charges of counterfeiting were among the reasons for the early departure of the Saints from the ‘city of Joseph’ in February rather than in the spring as originally proposed.” (Brigham Young University Studies, Winter 1968, pg. 215)
If Mormonism is true, why does it have to hide behind half-truths and lies? The Bible doesn’t hide the faults of David and others—it tells the truth. Why can’t Mormonism do the same? It can’t, because it isn’t true and it has to rewrite its history to prevent its members from finding out the truth!

Joseph Smith - How Many Wives?
Several times during the Pageant, Joseph Smith is onstage with Emma, his first wife, reflecting on what is happening in Nauvoo. The interaction between him and Emma is always so endearing. My question is, why weren’t all the other 48 wives of Joseph onstage so that Joseph, Emma, and all the other wives could have a family council? When Joseph Smith died, June 27, 1844, he had at least 49 wives. Even Mormon scholars admit at least 33 wives and most grudgingly agree on the 49; however, to the day he died, Joseph Smith stood publicly and absolutely denied that neither he, nor any other Mormon was practicing polygamy, and that was simply a lie. Isn’t it interesting that the “Prophet of the Restoration” is a documented liar?
Fawn Brodie’s book “No Man Knows My History” clearly lays out documented facts concerning Joseph Smith’s polygamous ways that weren’t even hinted about in the Nauvoo Pageant. If the following information came out today in a documentary about some man in the United States, he would be arrested as a sexual predator. The below quote is quite repulsive concerning Joseph Smith and his polygamous wives: “It will be seen that at least twelve were married women (with living husbands), although the evidence for Mrs. Levi Hancock is only word-of-mouth tradition in the Hancock family. The ages of Joseph’s wives varied all the way from the fifteen years of Helen Mar Kimball, daughter of Heber C. Kimball, to the fifty-nine years of Rhoda Richards, spinster sister of Joseph’s secretary Willard Richards.
The prophet married five pairs of sisters: De1cena and Almera Johnson, Eliza and Emily Partridge, Sarah and Maria Lawrence, Mary Ann and Olive Grey Frost, and Prescindia and Zina Huntington. Patty and Sylvia Sessions were mother and daughter.
The majority of the prophet’s wives fall into three general categories: first, the group of married women to whom Joseph was sealed between 1838 and the expulsion of Bennett in June 1842; and second, the leading women in the Nauvoo Relief Society, who were married to the prophet during the furor that followed Bennett’s departure.” (No Man Knows My History, pp. 336-337)

I need to interject a comment here. Part of the Nauvoo Pageant was to make a big deal of the establishment of the Women’s Organization called the “Nauvoo Relief Society,” to try to show how women have an important role in Mormonism. The Nauvoo Pageant played up the establishment of this women’s organization, with their stated purpose to bring relief to the families of Nauvoo that were in need. I won’t argue that this was not a noble cause; however, the Mormon Church conveniently leaves off the fact that a large number of the women represented on stage became Joseph’s polygamous wives. That little fact was completely left out of the “Pageant.” This is so sad. Thirteen million people are placing their eternities on the validity of the history put forth in this pageant—which is an edited, distorted, falsified history. It is not the truth. Let me pick up the quote again with the 3rd group of Joseph’s wives.
“The third group consists of the dozen or more unmarried women whom he married in the spring and summer of 1843. Most of them were quite young. Helen Mar Kimball was fifteen; Nancy Mariah Winchester (who may be identical with Nancy Maria Smith) was fifteen or sixteen; Lucy walker, Sarah Lawrence and Flora Ann Woodworth were seventeen. Maria Lawrence and Melissa Lott were nineteen. Six of the girls Joseph took as wives lived at various times as wards in his own home. These were the Partridge sisters, the Lawrence sisters, Eliza R. Snow, and Lucy Walker. One of these, the seventeen-year-old Lucy Walker, who had moved into the prophet’s home after the death of her mother, described Joseph’s whirlwind courtship.” (No Man Knows My History, pp. 336-337)

I could go on for several more pages about Joseph’s polygamous marriages, and believe you me, some of them are quite scandalous; however, I’ll leave that for books like Fawn Brodie’s: No Man Knows My History.

God Was Once A Man
For those who have seen the Nauvoo Pageant in either of the past two summer’s performances, you will remember the scene where the fellow is digging the ditch to drain the swamp of Nauvoo and this big fellow is poking fun at him. The name of the fellow who was digging the ditch was “King Follet.” One of the last scenes in the Pageant was Joseph Smith speaking at King Follet’s funeral. The scene has Joseph talking about seeing his “brother” again in the next life.
The part of the story the Pageant conveniently leaves out is that this funeral discourse has been one of the most controversial sermons Joseph Smith ever delivered. This is the sermon where Joseph Smith declared that God was once a man: “God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret…It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible. Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you…” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. pp. 345-346)

It’s no wonder the Mormon Church leaves those statements out of the Pageant. If they had them in the play and a Christian in the audience heard them, they would instantly know that the Mormon Church’s doctrine of God is at complete odds with Christianity.
Joseph The Martyr?

The next point I want to cover are the legal charges that caused Joseph’s arrest and placed him in jail in Carthage, Illinois. This arrest and confinement ultimately led to the mob rushing the jail and murdering him and his brother. Hyrum.

The first year of the new Nauvoo Pageant the script said Joseph and Hyrum were taken to jail on “simple charges.” The second year of the Pageant, this line was changed to “false charges.” The truth is that a newspaper, “The Nauvoo Expositor,” which was printed in the building where Kraus’s Furniture Store now stands, was printed in Nauvoo by ex-Mormons that had been in Mormon Leadership. This paper exposed the fact Joseph Smith and many others in senior Mormon leadership were actively practicing polygamy privately, but denying it publicly.
The Nauvoo Expositor printed only one issue. Joseph Smith acting in his capacity as Mayor of Nauvoo, backed by his City Council, declared the newspaper a “nuisance,” and therefore ordered it destroyed. Over 200 Mormons stormed the Nauvoo Expositor building pulling the presses and all other materials into the street and burning them. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were charged with “Treason,” and John Taylor and Willard Richards were charged with “Inciting a Riot.” Ordering the destruction of a newspaper in the State of Illinois, whether in 1844 or 2007, remains illegal. There’s this minor technicality called the 1st Amendment. So, for the Mormon Church to allow the script to say that the charges were “simple” or “false” is a deliberate deception on their part. If the President of the United States was to order the destruction of the New York Times or the Washington Post because they printed information about him that he didn’t like, he would be brought up on charges, and rightfully so!
While they were in jail a mob rushed the jail and murdered Joseph and Hyrum. That was an egregious act of brutality and lawlessness that was absolutely wrong and should never have happened. On the other hand, the Mormon Church promotes Joseph’s arrest as “a lamb being led to the slaughter.” This is absolutely blasphemous. Jesus was the only Lamb that was ever led to slaughter. He was innocent and went of his own free will knowing he was going to be our sinless sacrifice.

I have been at the Carthage jail, where Joseph and Hyrum were killed, and have personally heard the Mormon Missionaries acting as tour guides describe the room where Joseph was killed as their “Calvary.” What an atrocious statement, making Joseph Smith equal to Jesus. The fact is that Joseph was guilty of ordering the destruction of the “Nauvoo Expositor.” It is terrible that mob justice was executed; however, what you don’t hear at the Carthage Jail is that Joseph had a pepper box pistol in his possession and discharged all six barrels into the onrushing mob. Three barrels misfired; nonetheless, Joseph is credited with killing two and wounding a third. “He, however, instantly arose, and with a firm, quick step, and a determined expression of countenance, approached the door, and pulling the six-shooter left by Brother Wheelock from his pocket, opened the door slightly, and snapped the pistol six successive times; only three of the barrels, however, were discharged. I afterwards understood that two or three were wounded by these discharges. Two of whom, I am informed, died.” (History of the Church. Vol. 7, pp. 102103)

Does this sound like a lamb being led to the slaughter? Have you ever heard of a martyr dying in a blazing gun battle? Mormonism rewrites its history to be “faith promoting” instead of telling the truth. Thirteen million people today have been fed a falsified history of Joseph Smith and the origins of their church. What is reality and what is myth are very different and 13 million people are trusting their eternities on a myth. How sad!!
Folks, we are on the front lines. Every night of the Pageant we will be down at the Pageant site witnessing and passing out tracts to both the Mormons and the non-Mormons who attend. We will be opposed; of that there is no doubt. Keep us in your prayers for safety and the strength and fortitude to stand tall for Jesus Christ in the midst of a cult stronghold. Our ministry isn’t easy, but it is so needed.
Article by Rocky and Helen Hulse, Issue No. 25 July 2007, “The Midwest Expositor” publication of Mormon Outreach - http://www.mormonoutreach.org/. This article was reprinted and reposted from our website and may not be used without permission.

The Nauvoo Pageant - A Tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith Opening Performance: July 7, 2009 Closing Performance: August 1, 2009Performances Tuesday through Saturday nights
Pre-show activities begin at 7:00 pm.
The Pageant begins at 8:30 p.m.

In Defense of Christianity

2009-05-04T14:37:00.000-07:00

On the front cover of Newsweek, October 17, 2005, is a stain glass window depiction of the “First Vision” of Mormonism with the title “The Making of the Mormons,” subtitled “Beyond Prophecy and Polygamy: The Future Of a Booming Faith.” On page 58 is an interview with the current Mormon Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley. The following question was asked, “Could you talk about religious intolerance and conflict around the world? It is a difficult age.” (Newsweek, Oct 17, 2005, pg 58). The following is President Hinckley’s response: “Hateful. Meanness. Bitterness. I don’t like it. We’re all sons and daughters of God, and therefore in a very literal sense, brothers and sisters. And we ought to treat each other that way.” (Newsweek, Oct 17, 2005, pg 58). After reading the rest of this article, ask yourself if the above statement is just a bit disingenuous when compared to the evidence listed below.

The very beginning of the Mormon Church was, and continues to be, an all out attack on Christianity. The foundational belief of Mormonism from its inception is that all Christian Churches are wrong, all Christian Creeds are abomination in God’s eye and all professors of Christianity are corrupt.

BACKGROUND: Mormonism begins with Joseph Smith, the founding prophet and the “First Vision.” The “First Vision” story, as now told by the Mormon Church, is that Joseph Smith, born in Sharon, Vermont in 1805, was living in Palmyra, New York in the year 1820. There was a great excitement concerning religion happening in the Western New York area and Joseph was confused on which church he should join. The “official” version of the “First Vision” states that Joseph was reading in his Bible in the Book of James, chapter 1 verse 5: “If any of you lack wisdom let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Joseph said “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.”

THE VISION: So, Joseph claims he retired to some woods near his home and knelt down and prayed. Joseph states that as he prayed a vision opened up to him:

16. …I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

17. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other – This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

18. My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right – and which I should join.

19. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:16-19, 1977)

The above quote comes from one of the books of the “Official” Mormon Canon, The Pearl of Great Price. This quote is part of Joseph Smith’s recounting of the “First Vision,” which is day one, hour one, minute one, second one, of Mormonism.

So, the first moment of Mormonism is an all out attack on the last six thousand years of Judeo-Christian history. The above passages are further broken down in Mormonism to state that Joseph said that the “Personages” were none other than God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ; and that the “Personage” who answered him in verse 19 was Jesus Christ himself. The all out attack is as follows: (1) In that one sentence of verse 19, Joseph Smith destroys all of known Christianity. In that sentence prior to the semi-colon, three major points are made: first – that all Christian churches are wrong; second – that all their creeds are an abomination; and third – that all professors of Christianity are corrupt. This effectively destroys all of Christianity in one sentence: he eliminates all Christian Churches by stating they are all wrong; he eliminates all Christian Theology by pronouncing Christian Creeds as an abomination; and he eliminates all Christians by saying that as a professor of Christianity they are corrupt. (2) Joseph Smith redefines God. For six thousand years the Judeo-Christian belief was in one God. In this “First Vision” Joseph Smith and Mormonism say that God the Father is a distinct individual with a body of flesh and bones and Jesus also is a distinct individual with a body of flesh and bones.

ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANITY IN OTHER MORMON SCRIPTURE: The all out attack on Christianity only begins with the “First Vision.” Mormonism adds three additional books to their canon of scripture: The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price; each of these additional books of Mormon scripture attack Christianity.

The recounting of the “First Vision” as previously listed is an attack from The Pearl of Great Price. The book The Doctrine and Covenants attacks Christianity in the very first section:

30. And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually—. (Doctrine and Covenants, 1:30)

This verse from Mormon scripture is clearly an attack on Christianity, stating that the Mormon Church was brought forth out of the “darkness” of Christianity and is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth…” The Mormon Church being “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth” relegates all of Christianity to being false and dead.

The first additional book of Mormon scripture, The Book of Mormon, also attacks Christianity. It states that there are only two churches on the earth, “the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil.” As we’ve already seen, the Mormon Church defines itself as “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth,” that therefore relegates all of Christianity to the “church of the devil.”

10. And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14:10)

As we have just defined from Mormon scripture, the Mormon Church is “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth,” and “whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.” So, by definition from Mormon scripture, all Christian churches and all Christians, because they do not belong to the Mormon Church, are part of the “church of the devil” which is “the whore of all the earth.”

ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANITY BY MORMON CHURCH LEADERS: The following are quotes from Mormon Church prophets and apostles that attack Christianity. (All quotes are from Mormon Church source material – no “anti-Mormon” sources are used.)

A. ALL NON-MORMONS CALLED ANTI-CHRIST:

1. This quote is from Brigham Young: “…and he that confesseth not that Jesus has

come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this

generation, is not of God, but is Antichrist.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 9 pg 312).

B. CHRISTIANITY AS A WHOLE ATTACKED:

1. This quote is from Brigham Young: “Brother Taylor has just said that the religions of the day were hatched in hell. The eggs were laid in hell, hatched on its borders, and kicked on to the earth.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 6, pg 176).

2. This quote is from Brigham Young: “The people called Christians are shrouded in ignorance, and read the Scriptures with darkened understandings.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p.333).

3. This quote is from Brigham Young: “The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 8, pg 171).

4. This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Parley P. Pratt: “But returning to the general corruption that has prevailed nationally, politically, and religiously, under the name of Christianity, leaving out Christ and his Apostles, I do think there has been no idolatry in the world, under any form or system, that could surpass it. It is the mystery of iniquity, the great whore of all the earth. It has brought the whole earth under a lasting curse, having departed from the laws of God, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant, in consequence of which the earth is destined to be burned, and few men left.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 3, p. 41).

5. This quote is from Brigham Young: “Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 10, pg 230).

6. This quote is from Brigham Young: “Do the Christian world know whether God has eyes to see, ears to hear, or hands, or a body? They are as ignorant of the true God as are those islanders, and all whom we call heathen.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p.195).

7. This quote is from the third Mormon Prophet, John Taylor: “What! Are Christians ignorant? Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute beast.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 6, pg 25).

8. This quote is from the third Mormon Prophet, John Taylor: “We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense….and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 6, pg 167).

9. This quote is from the third Mormon Prophet, John Taylor: “What does the Christian world know about God? Nothing…Why so far as the things of God are concerned, they are the veriest of fools; they know neither God nor the things of God.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 13, pg 225).

10. This quote is from President George Q. Cannon, while he was serving as 1st Counselor to Mormon Prophet John Taylor: “We belong, because of our obedience, to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to what is known as the Church of Christ, while those who have not embraced this Gospel and entered into covenant with God, belong to the other church—that is the church which is called in the revelations of God, the whore of all the earth, or the mother of abominations. That is the distinction which exists between the Latter-day Saints and the rest of mankind.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 25, pp. 362-363).

11. This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt: “Thrones shall be cast down, and the Ancient of Days shall sit, and the body of the fourth beast (or Babylon) shall be given to the devouring flame, and then shall the remnant of the heathen know that the Lord is God, for they shall see and hear of his judgments, which he shall execute upon the corrupt powers of the earth under the name of modern Christianity, scripturally called "Babylon the Great"—"The whore of all the earth," with whom the nations for centuries have committed fornication, and have drank out of her filthy cup. O Babylon! thou hast decked thyself with costly ornaments! Thou has clothed thyself with the most gaudy apparel! Thy seminaries of learning, and thy theological institutions have been multiplied far and wide. Thy priests are polished with all the refinements of a profound and extensive education. Thy costly and magnificent churches have been erected in great numbers throughout all thy borders.” (The Essential Orson Pratt, p.109).

12. This is a quote from Mormon Apostle Hyrum M. Smith, at Conference October 1916: “In fact, my brethren and sisters, if the falsity of a religion can be measured in any degree by the amount of trouble and turmoil and strife and bitterness and hatred that it has engendered in the hearts of men, if it can be judged by the number of wars it has carried on and the rivers of blood it has shed, the amount of misery and sorrow, it has caused, or the extremes of impurity, found among its adherents, then Christianity, that which is known as Christianity, is the falsest of all religions in the world… The trouble is, as God declared to Joseph the Prophet, mankind have gone astray. Their religions are an abomination in his sight, and their professors are corrupt because they have turned away from the truth and have turned unto fables.” (Conference Report, October 1916, p.43).

13. This quote is from 12th Mormon Prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, who served as Prophet of the Mormon Church until his death in 1985: “Presumptuous and blasphemous are they who purport to baptize, bless, marry, or perform other sacraments in the name of the Lord while in fact lacking the specific authorization.” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 55).

14. This quote is from Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie in his monumental work, Mormon Doctrine: “Christianity is the religion of the Christians. Hence, true and acceptable Christianity is found among the saints who have the fullness of the gospel, and a perverted Christianity holds sway among the so-called Christians of apostate Christendom.” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, pg. 123).

15. This quote is from Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie in his monumental work, Mormon Doctrine: “Division and dissention, contention, confusion and discord – these are among the prevailing characteristics of the kingdom of the devil; and they are nowhere better illustrated than in the sects of Christendom.” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, pg 630)

C. CATHOLICS ATTACKED:

This blistering quote is from Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie in his epic work, Mormon Doctrine, under the heading “Church of the Devil”: “There are two scriptural senses in which the titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used: 1. All churches or organizations of whatever name or nature—whether political, philosophical, educational, economic, social, fraternal, civic, or religious—which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God; and 2. The Roman Catholic Church specifically—singled out, set apart, described, and designated as being “most abominable above all other churches.” (1 Ne. 13:5).” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, pg 129).
D. PROTESTANTS ATTACKED:

This quote is from Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie in his epic work, Mormon doctrine, under the heading “Protestants.” You will notice how “Protestants” are identified as a “dead branch broken from a dead tree”: “Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not Protestants, and the Church itself is not a Protestant Church. The true Church is not a dead branch from a dead tree; it is a living tree planted again by revelation in the vineyard of the Lord, and it shall grow and flourish long after the vineyard has been burned and every dead branch and vine has been consumed as stubble.” (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, pg 548).
E. CATHOLICS, EPISCOPALS AND BAPTISTS ATTACKED:

1. This quote is from President Charles W. Penrose, who served as a Mormon Apostle and as 1st and 2nd Counselors to the 6th and 7th Mormon Prophets: “That which is ordained of God will stand, and that which is not ordained of Him will be destroyed. Ordinances administered by men unauthorized of God—whether it be the sacrament, or pertaining to marriage—will have an end when men are dead; they will not pass beyond the grave. Every baptism of the Catholic Church, and of the Episcopal Church, and of the Baptist Church, or any other church, if God Almighty did not ordain and authorize the man who performed the ordinance even though he performed it in the right way and used the right words, is null and void and as though it had never been performed, with the exception that God will judge him who in administering it without authority took His holy name in vain.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 25, p.339)

F. METHODISTS ATTACKED:

1. This quote is from President Heber C. Kimball, 1st Counselor to Brigham Young: “Can you change these ordinances? No. They are eternal; they always were and always will be; and no man or woman upon earth can be saved without them. You may get a Methodist priest to pour water on you, or sprinkle it on you, and baptize you face foremost, or lay you down the other way, and whatever mode you please, and you will be damned with your priest. There is but one way, and that is to be buried in water, buried with Christ by baptizing in water, that your sins may be blotted out by one having authority, or else it will do you no good.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p.90).

G. LUTHERANS ATTACKED:

1. This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt, describing the Lutherans as the “harlot daughter of the Catholics”: “29. In the meantime another harlot daughter of the Catholics--the Lutherans, formed another canon, and rejected many books that the English daughter did not.” (Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, p.40).

H. CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS ATTACKED:

1. This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt: “The European nations with the United States come more particularly under the dominion of the "great and abominable church," which includes all the churches of apostate christendom, both Catholic and Protestant.” (The Seer, Vol.2, No.4, p.246).

2. This quote is from President John Taylor, the third Mormon Prophet: “Babylon, literally understood, is the gay world; spiritual wickedness, the golden city, and the glory of the world, The priests of Egypt, who received a portion gratis from Pharaoh; the priests of Baal, and the Pharisees, and Sadducees, with their "long robes," among the Jews, are equally included in their mother's family, with the Roman Catholics, Protestants, and all that have not had the keys of the kingdom and power thereof, according to the ordinances of God.” (Times and Seasons, Vol.6, No.1, p.939)

3. This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt: “But we would inform the Catholics, that the Church of Christ has not ceased to exist, neither has Peter ceased his existence, but both the Church and Peter are in heaven, far out of the reach of the gates of hell, and far out of the reach of the abominable soul-destroying impositions of popery. The gates of hell have prevailed and will continue to prevail over the Catholic mother of harlots, and over all her Protestant daughters;…” (Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, p.44).

4. This is also a quote from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt: “Dare any other societies in all the world make such a promise unto the believers in their respective systems? No, they dare not; they know full well that it would be the speedy downfall and utter overthrow of their vain, unauthorized, and powerless religions. O, what a wide and marked difference between the religion of Joseph Smith and that of Protestant and Catholic religion--between his authority and that of sectarian divines!” (Divine Authority, p.16).

I. ROMAN CATHOLIC, GREEK, AND PROTESTANTS ATTACKED:

This quote is from one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, Orson Pratt: “The Roman Catholic, Greek, and Protestant church is the great corrupt ecclesiastic power, represented by great Babylon which has made all nations drunk with her wickedness, and she must fall, after she has been warned with the sound of "the everlasting gospel." Her overthrow will be by a series of the most terrible judgments which will quickly succeed each other, and sweep over the nations where she has her dominion, and at last she will be utterly burned by fire, for thus hath the Lord spoken. Great, and fearful, and most terrible judgments are decreed upon these corrupt powers, the nations of modern Christendom; for strong is the Lord God who shall execute His fierce wrath upon them, and He will not cease until He has made a full end, and until their names be blotted out from under heaven.” (Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, pp 84 – 85).
J. GREEKS, ROMAN CATHOLICS AND ALL OF CHRISTENDOM ATTACKED:

This quote is from third Mormon Prophet, John Taylor: “Shall we go to the Greek Church for the true authority? It is based pretty much upon the same principle as the Roman Catholic Church is, and all the sectarian bodies of Christendom are as destitute of the true authority of God as the mother church is.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, p.127).
K. PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC, PRESBYTERIAN, BAPTIST, METHODIST AND CONGREGATIONALISTS ATTACKED:

This is a quote from Mormon Apostle Hyrum M. Smith at the Salt Lake City Tabernacle, October 7, 1916, during Conference: “It would be just as consistent for the Latter-day Saints, who have come out of the Protestant churches or the Catholic church, or for the children of men and women who came out of the Presbyterian church or the Baptist, or the Methodist, or the Congregationalist, to take sides with those corrupt and apostate churches in their contentions and their quarrels among themselves. We, or our fathers who received the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it has been proclaimed by divinely appointed and authorized men in this dispensation, have been born again. We have forsaken the corrupt religions of the world, and we have foresworn all allegiance to these false churches. We have no interest in their contentions. At least the only interest we have in them is a desire that the adherents of these various churches may also see the light, come to a knowledge of the truth, and forsake evil and error and falsehood, and receive the gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation.” (Conference Report, October 1916, pg. 41).
From day one, hour one, minute one, second one, of Mormonism, as we saw in the “First Vision” account, the continuous attacks down through time by Mormon Prophets and Apostles, to the attacks resident in the current canon of Mormonism, the Mormon Church leaders and their unique scripture have launched an all out attack on Christianity!

So what does God’s inerrant word, the Bible, say about these attacks against Christianity levied by the Mormon Church? In Matthew Chapter 16, verse 18, we read:

18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

According to Mormonism, Jesus must have lied, because that scripture, in my Bible is all in red letters. Matthew 16:18 is Jesus saying the gates of hell will not prevail against His church; but in Mormonism, the gates of hell did prevail and that is why Joseph Smith had to restore the “Church” back to the earth.

Mormonism teaches the “gospel” was lost to the earth and had to be restored; Joseph Smith being the vehicle of the restoration. How do we come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? The Bible tells us in the 10th chapter of Romans, verse 17:

17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

What is God’s Word? It is the Bible. What does God’s Word say about God’s Word? In 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 25 we read:

25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

It is clear from this scripture that God’s Word, the Bible, endures forever, and this very word is how the gospel is preached. So, was the Holy Spirit lying through Peter? According to Mormonism, that must be the case. Why else would a “restoration” through Joseph Smith need to be done? In Psalms 119, verse 89, we read:

89. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

The Psalmist clearly tells us that God’s Word is forever settled in heaven and, as we just saw in 1 Peter 1:25, God’s Word endures forever and is the vehicle used to preach the gospel to us. Isaiah chapter 40, verse 8, reads:

8. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

I don’t think the Holy Spirit, speaking through Isaiah, could have said it any clearer: the grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of God stands forever. It appears that according to Mormonism, the Holy Spirit lied through Isaiah as well.

The next scripture we’ll look at is all red letters as well. Let’s look at Matthew chapter 5, verse 18:

18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

The “jot” and the “tittle” are the smallest marks in Hebrew script. Jesus was saying here that not the smallest part would be lost from His Word. Again, is Mormonism calling Jesus a liar?

Let’s look at the red lettering again in Luke chapter 21, verse 33:

33. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

In Mormonism, Jesus didn’t keep his word. In Mormonism, the Bible cannot be trusted and was corrupted; because of this, a restoration of the truth had to come through Joseph Smith. This isn’t just my opinion. Let’s let Joseph Smith speak for himself. In The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith we read:

“…it was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled.” (The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 10-11)

So, when Jesus said not one “jot” or “tittle” would be lost, and that heaven and earth would pass away, but His Word would never pass away, Joseph Smith just called Jesus a liar. Let’s let Mormon unique scriptures speak as well. This next quote says the Bible is not enough and is taken from the book of 2 Nephi, contained in the Book of Mormon:

6. Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more

Bible…” (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 29:6)

Mormonism says the Bible cannot be trusted and has been corrupted; again, contradicting the words of Jesus Christ. Orson Pratt, one of the original Mormon Twelve Apostles, clearly attacks the reliability of the Bible

“But the Bible has been robbed of its plainness; many sacred books having been lost, others rejected by the Romish Church, and what few we have left, were copied and recopied so many times, that it is admitted that almost every verse has been corrupted and mutilated….” (The Seer, p. 213).

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall never pass away,” while Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt says, “Almost every verse has been corrupted and mutilated.”

WHO DO YOU TRUST: JESUS CHRIST, OR MORMON PROPHETS AND APOSTLES?

We stand confidently using God’s Holy Word, the Bible, to defend Christianity from the attacks made upon it from Mormon Doctrine and teachings!

Join with us and be a Jude 3 Christian:

3.Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Mormon Missions Midwest Outreach
In Defense of Christianity
Written by Rocky Hulse

MORMON MURDERERS ~ THE MASS MURDER BY A PROPHET

2008-11-07T04:59:00.001-08:00

A group of Mormons deceived and attacked a group of 137 pioneers whose wagon train was traveling from Arkansas, through Utah, and on to California. There are allegations that Mormons in the Mountain Meadows area created unrest among the Native population by spreading a rumor that the the pioneers were planning go to California and return with an army to attack the Natives and Mormons.

Apparently, many people on both sides died in the initial conflict. The pioneers then surrendered. Under a flag of truce, they were disarmed, and then slaughtered in cold blood. In all, 120 men, women and children of the wagon train were killed. 17 children under the age of 7 were considered "too young to tell;" their lives were spared. Brevet Jamor J.H. Carleton noted in his investigation of the tragedy "that about one third of the skulls were shot through with bullets and about one third seem to be broken with stones."

There was "a popular and widespread impression that John D. Lee was the leader and arch criminal of the massacre." He was made the scapegoat, tried twice, and executed in 1877. There are allegations that the massacre was perpetrated by an underground Danite group. This theory appears to be a hoax since no such group existed in Utah at the time.

Brigham Young led a church cover-up, saying that the Natives were responsible for the massacre. He wrote that pioneers had earlier caused the death of Natives by giving them poisoned meat, and by poisoning some of their wells.

Quotes:

"If any miserable scoundrels come here, cut their throats." Brigham Young

"The Mountain Meadows Massacre stands without a parallel amongst the crimes that stain the pages of American history. It was a crime committed without cause or justification of any kind to relieve it of its fearful character... When nearly exhausted from fatigue and thirst, [the men of the caravan] were approached by white men, with a flag of truce, and induced to surrender their arms, under the most solemn promises of protection. They were then murdered in cold blood." William Bishop, Attorney to John D. Lee.

Christians in Manti prevented from using Public Restroom

2008-06-27T21:31:00.001-07:00

Join our Guestbook

2008-03-23T09:26:00.001-07:00

Returned Mormon missionary & wife share some of their Sacred moments while in Nauvoo on the internet...

2008-03-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

"We attended a session at the temple that night. There were about 8 other couples there as well. The temple is beautiful inside. The paintings and the dark wood everywhere! Wow! And I have always thought the Nauvoo temple was beautiful on the outside...especially at night. I love that it is built on the highest hill in the area so you can see it from a distance....

Anyway this is super long so I'll stop. But before that, I have to post 3 pictures of Clay. We found out too late that we forgot to pack his black socks to wear with his suit to the temple. And all he had were white temple socks. So he looked like....well. You tell me."

(The above are their words and I decided not to put the other 2 pictures up, this 1 picture speaks for itself)

Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center: Can Americans Trust Mormons in Public Office? Is the Mormon Church the Ultimate Lobbyist?

2008-01-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center: Can Americans Trust Mormons in Public Office? Is the Mormon Church the Ultimate Lobbyist?

Nauvoo man authors book about Mormonism

2007-12-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

Chris Faulkner

Staff Writer

Fort Madison Daily Democrat

Rocky Hulse has been speaking and writing about the Church of Jesus Christ-Latter Day Saints - the church he was baptized and raised in - for quite a few years now. That's often followed by charges of bigotry or hatefulness or, at best, stirring up unnecessary dissension between faith groups.Undaunted, Hulse has written a book about the subject of the Mormon faith and how it relates to church members in public office. Once again, he puts in numerous disclaimers to his being bigoted.
The book is: When Salt Lake City Calls: Is there a conflict between Mormonism and the public trust? It's published by Christian publishing company Xulon Press. Although Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not named specifically, the timing of the book's release is no coincidence, with the 2008 presidential election looming on the horizon. The back cover, however, shows that Hulse is not just focusing on the office of the president. “From the White House ... to the local school board ... the principle remains the same! Can Americans trust Mormons in public office?” The central premise of Hulse's book is that in order to be a Latter-Day Saint in good standing a person - in this case a candidate for public office - must cast his allegiance first and foremost to the church and its Prophets. (The Prophet is the current leader of the Church.) From Chapter 7, Page 224, in what is a regular end-of-chapter summary feature, Hulse writes, “This book is about a principle: absolute allegiance/obedience to the Mormon Church through its governing agent, the Priesthood. As has been amply chronicled in previous chapters, the dogma to “Follow the Prophet” is the primary tenet of Mormonism. However, under the agent of the Priesthood the local level Priesthood leaders are to be followed as well or the Mormon could be ‘endangering their own salvation.' This brings the conflict between Mormonism and the political arena to the local level.” Hulse took the first three chapters to give an overview and outline of the Church of Jesus Christ-Latter Day Saints. Despite his critics' claims, Hulse wrote that in writing about and evaluating the church he's simply taking doctrinal statements and proclamations from actual Mormon sources - both in the early days of the church founded by Joseph Smith and in more recent times. He then took the next five chapters to discuss the LDS Church's views on its heirarchy and its teachings and spiritual doctrines and how they relate to the political world.
It is Hulse's contention - and his claims are heavily footnoted and documented - that LDS members are to place their primary source of guidance on church leaders, who are anointed by God. Hulse addressed the question that has been brought up, comparing the fears about a Mormon president with the fear in 1963 that John F. Kennedy - the first Catholic to run for president - would take his marching orders from the Pope.Hulse reprints Kennedy's speech to a Baptist group and said that is in stark contrast to the Mormon Church's beliefs about political activity. As for the concept of separation of church and state, the third Mormon Prophet, John Taylor, wrote in 1867 that Mormons are to be led politically by their Priesthood. “We used to have a difference between church and state, but it is all one now,” Taylor wrote. Hulse finished the book with two chapters on historical tragedies: one in the early days of the Church and one in the mid-1980s. Space prevents a detailed accounting of the Mountain Meadows Massacre 150 years ago (1857) and the Mark Hoffman Murders (1985). But Hulse brought those events in to show how the LDS church covered up heinous crimes and circumvented current laws to protect the church. Hulse expressed concern that a Mormon in public office would have a greater loyalty to the many oaths and covenants of his church than to the laws of the land and the people who elected him.“The fully documented position of the book,” Hulse said, “is that a Mormon is bound by oath and covenants to the Mormon Church above all other obligations in this life. Any oath of office they may take is secondary to the oaths and covenants of Mormonism.“ In that context, the requirements of Mormonism place Mormons squarely in opposition to the American democratic ideal of independent representation,” Hulse said.
“The Mormon Church is the ultimate lobbyist and cannot be legislated away.”

What Do You think: Is the Mormon Church Anti-Christian?

Rocky Hulse wrote on Feb 5, 2008 10:08 PM:
" Keith - Just came from your website. On the Blog part of your website you there's an automated picture of a door with an arrow flashingly pointing at this door. Words above the door say: "Profanity, vulgarity, coarseness and anger are tools of the ignorant..." Below the door it says: "Please check them at the door." I take it when you leave your own website, your requirements of others doesn't apply to you! Perhaps as a chaplain, you might be familiar with that little scripture about the "beam" in your own eye. You haven't used profanity, or vulgarity, however, I showed in my last post your use of coarse and angry language. Your hypocrisy is now fully documented for anyone to see who would care to do the investigation. Keith, I fully document my work. I noted on your website that you're an "ethics instructor." On your next post could you explain the ethics of your leaving the "ethics" you require of others on your website when you come to this one. Please be ethical in your explanation; because that would be ethical, don't you know! "

Keith wrote on Feb 5, 2008 9:50 PM:
" Helen claims I am lying, and to be fair, in her oppressed mind its possible that she sincerely believes it…but then that is the tragedy and power of prejudice. Now, I profess with clear conscience that I am not lying and that my opinions and comments are sincere and truthful. I know what Mormons truly believe, and denounce the many mischaracterizations and false claims made by Anti-Mormons on this thread. Helen, will likely never be convinced, for she has chosen to trust her own reason, relying on the arm of the flesh, trusting in the words and claims of humans over God. Thankfully there is no need for others to follow Helen's course. Jesus promises to all His children that His Father will answer their prayers, and that truth will set them free! God's revealed truth is the only one anybody should ever rely upon! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Feb 5, 2008 9:27 PM:
" Keith's Feb 5 12:39 "Helen needs to take a walk; breath deeply, set aside her anger and prejudice, then re-read ALL I wrote:" I did re-read ALL you've written, and here's the results: 23 posts, 20 times you use some form of the word hate; 6 times anger; 5 times prejudice, 5 times compares people to Pharisees; you sprinkle in malign, crucify, compare Rocky to Caiaphas, persecutors, Satan deception, despisers, inflammatory language, sensationalism, aggressive angry comments, ill feelings, shallow reasoning, attack, abhor, attacking and people who disagree with you are poisoned. Based on your own words, who's angry here? Wow, for an Army Chaplain, you display a profound amount of caustic language in your discourses with people; I never found that to be true of Navy Chaplains. Oh yes, no less than four times did you intimate that you weren't going to post here any more. I certainly don't control this site, and I would welcome you to continue, if you'd simply be less caustic and more respectful of the people posting here. Your language here, in my opinion as a retired commissioned officer in the Navy, is unbecoming of an officer! "

Helen wrote on Feb 5, 2008 7:56 PM:
" MEET THE REAL KEITH: DAVID KEITH SHURTLEFF Former Navy JAG Officer, Ethics Instructor Current LDS Chaplain, U.S. Army Born and raised in the Mormon faith: LDS missionary to Venezuela Various Callings: High Counselor, Bishop, Young Men's President(Stake and Ward), Temple Worker, High Priest. Wow folks, do a Google search on his name and then his Mormon Church. It's enlighting. No one needs to believe me, find out for yourself. I have ask him or stated that he is a Mormon several times. However, he has just chosen to ignore, that he is in fact a Mormon. What he does instead is a lot of double speak and lots of name calling. I will say it again, pure Mormon arrogance! "

Helen wrote on Feb 5, 2008 3:18 PM:
" Read your words Keith:" A warning to my Catholic friends AS and Renee: DO NOT feel overly comfortable with Helen's "Same Jesus" comment. Anti-Mormons, use the same tactics as Anti-Catholics. It's doubtful Helen and her type accept Transubstantiation, The Immaculate Conception of Mary's Mother, or belief in Saints. It seems clear from their comments in this column that they would abhor your belief in the Pope as the mouthpiece of God! It is very unlikely that their protestant concept of grace, would embrace your concepts of works and repentance. In fact, Catholic views on those issues are much closer to the LDS views then to contemporary Christians." Shame on you 'cause you are lying and you know it. Only the Mormon Prophet speaks for God in ALL things. Only the Mormon Church is the ONE true Church. That is not bigotry, that's the truth! In Mormonism your church does not teach the Virgin Birth of Jesus. Jesus and Satan are brothers. Nothing I have just said sounds Catholic or protestant, it is pure Mormon which is Anti-Christian! "

Keith wrote on Feb 5, 2008 12:39 PM:
" Helen needs to take a walk; breath deeply, set aside her anger and prejudice, then re-read ALL I wrote: I did NOT say her Jesus is not the same as the Catholics. Deciding who has the REAL JESUS is the job of Anti-Mormon fanatics; I've learned that painfully through the years! Personally I know and love many wonderful Christians, Protestants and Catholics! My ACTUAL POINT was that Helen's same Jesus remark was NO GUARANTEE of unity in purpose or doctrine, accurately pointing out that Protestants and Catholics have many differences on core doctrines. Read in context, "an almost impossible task for Anti Mormons," my comments debunk Helen's "Universal Christianity vs. Mormons" as a false dichotomy. Hatred knows no bounds. Anti Mormons will not hesitate to attack others who challenge or disagree with them. Just review all the comments below! Finally, IF proclaiming that God, Our Heavenly Father, is the only perfect and absolute source of truth, is arrogance, IF encouraging people to verify human claims through prayer to God is pride, I'm guilty. But, a hate free and un-fettered reading of the Bible reveals I'm in good company, starting with Jesus! "

Helen wrote on Feb 4, 2008 5:39 PM:
" Keith, you just have spoken like the Anti-Christian, you truly are a temple Mormon. You tell those in the Catholic faith, that the Jesus, I believe in is not the same Jesus, as their's is pure nonsense! You have no idea what Church I belong too and besides, that is not the issue. What is the issue? It has now become your Mormon arrogance. You are now telling people to pray about Rocky's book to know if it is true? You sound just like a Mormon missionary giving a lesson on the Book of Mormon, just pray to see if it's true! "

Keith wrote on Feb 3, 2008 6:32 PM:
" Hopefully My Last! My discussions with clergy of many faiths reveal that those SECURE in their faith, are open to sharing. The INSECURE feel threatened and resort to anger, hatred, and dogma. Anti-Mormons are so oppressed by fear and hatred, they cannot possibly read or understand anything Mormon in its spiritual context. For example, READ the entire "First Vision" Rocky mentions below, applying spiritual context, and you will see NO HATRED. In fact the cited verse is no more hate inspiring then Luther's 95 Thesis. But discounting the Holy Spirit and revelation, Rocky et. al. will, no doubt continue attacking! So consider this! TO TRUST ANY, HATE OPPRESSED, Anti-Mormon's, claims about Mormonism IS AS RIDICOULOUS AS FOR A 1st Century Judean to trust the Sanhedrin's claims about Jesus! Please check out the full context of future claims and investigate other NEUTRAL sources. Then take your findings to God in prayer, and accept His revelation. In the end GOD'S opinion is the only one that really matters. Not mine, not Rocky's, not Helen's. I know Jesus' promise (Matthew 7:7-11) is true. I trust Heavenly Father above any human and invite un-poisoned, neutral, truth seekers to do likewise! "

Keith wrote on Feb 3, 2008 6:05 PM:
" A warning to my Catholic friends AS and Renee: DO NOT feel overly comfortable with Helen's "Same Jesus" comment. Anti-Mormons, use the same tactics as Anti-Catholics. It's doubtful Helen and her type accept Transubstantiation, The Immaculate Conception of Mary's Mother, or belief in Saints. It seems clear from their comments in this column that they would abhor your belief in the Pope as the mouthpiece of God! It is very unlikely that their protestant concept of grace, would embrace your concepts of works and repentance. In fact, Catholic views on those issues are much closer to the LDS views then to contemporary Christians. Her comment seems very similar to the ancient Pharisee's claiming that the HATED Caesar was THEIR ONLY KING, merely to achieve their desired result of destroying Jesus. "We have no King but Caesar" is really no different then "We are all Christians but those hated Mormons!" Also remember. God knows what is in Rocky's Book, as he knows Rocky's heart! Check out all the claims in prayer, trusting not in the Arm of Flesh, and you WILL know the truth! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Feb 1, 2008 7:56 PM:
" Keith, you accuse me and Helen of hate, hate, hate. How about just an ounce of truth on your part. As a Mormon you beleive in the "First Vision," right? Yes! What does the "First Vision" say? "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt..." So in one sentence Joseph Smith condemns all churches as wrong, all creeds (Christian doctrine) as an abomination, and all who profess Christianity as corrupt. It is the epitome of hypocrisy for you to claim hate of a Christian trying to defend their belief from the all conclusive attack on every Christian church, every Christian doctrine and anyone who professes Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior by the Mormon Church. This all out attack on Christianity is day one, hour one, minute one, second one, of Mormonism. You then, Keith, have the audacity to come on here as a Mormon and pretend to be the victim and accuse others defending their faith as haters. Incredulous! "

Helen wrote on Feb 1, 2008 4:37 PM:
" A.S. & Renee say they are Catholic. Both of you have the right Jesus, as defined in the Bible. You say Mormons are such nice people, no problem. However, do you know what the Mormon Church and its members think of you and other Christian Churches? According to Mormon scripture POGP, Joseph Smith 2:18-19 "...Jesus says all churches are wrong...all their creeds are an abomination in His sight..." In Mormonism Catholics are the Whore of Babylon and all Protestant Churches are her harlot daughters. Every Sunday Mormons carry this, their scrpiture to their ward meetings. "When Salt Lake City Calls" by Rocky Hulse is a book that pulls back what has been hidden about the doctrines of the Mormon Church. Read the book and judge what is written in it. Facts and documention can be tested and should be, but those judging something they haven't read is wrong. Attacking a person for writing a book is worse! "

Erin wrote on Jan 31, 2008 9:14 PM:
" Thank you Rocky and Keith for the additional information you provided. I have already processed through the evidence Keith provided and am currently reading Rocky's book. Again, thank you both for sharing your opinions/information on the Mormom faith. It's given me the opportunity to come to my own conclusion. "

Robin wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:02 PM:
" And Satan rears his ugly head, in the guise of defense of religion. Sad that precepts of the past are being brought to the forefront. Each man must choose for himself, and their deeds will give them their home. Rocky knows nothing but what is whispered into his ear by an evil cunning one. Mormons know nothing either. Find the Lord and you then will know the truth. "

Helen wrote on Jan 31, 2008 2:30 PM:
" Keith wrote on Jan 16, 2008 2:20 PM: " Conversely, it proves my point, getting through to indoctrinated, self-deceived, anti-Mormon, fanatics is difficult. "Do not confuse me with SPIRITUAL evidence, heaven revealed truth, prayer or the Holy Word of God. I've got a man produced book!!!" Keith, did you write this book? Why didn't you tell everyone it was you when you wrote these words? Thankfully an analytical and factual response to claims such as theirs can be found in the book "Whited Tombs". "

Helen wrote on Jan 31, 2008 2:22 PM:
" Keith Shurtleff wrote on Dec 15, 2007 12:54 PM: " I would like to thank Rocky Hulse and his supporters for demonstrating in our day, how it was that the religious leaders in Jesus' day, could hate, malign, and crucify the very God they professed to serve. The difference between Hulse and Caiaphas is only the century in which they live. Truly Rocky and his gang fit Our Savior's description of being Whited Sepulchers. Thankfully an analytical and factual response to claims such as theirs can be found in the book "Whited Tombs" " (hmmm? "

Renee wrote on Jan 31, 2008 2:07 PM:
" Wow! I can't believe how negative people can be! Let's have a little respect. I'm a Catholic and I have LOTS of people tell me I'm not a Christian. I don't believe in Mormonism, nor do I support it. However, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't respect Mormon's for what they believe. This is why we live in the Land of the Free - so we can believe what we want. So, let's all be a little more positive! I know Jesus wouldn't act like this! "

A.S. wrote on Jan 31, 2008 2:02 PM:
" I can't believe that people can be so negative! No, I don't believe in Mormanism or support it, but I respect them for having their own beliefs. Isn't this why we live in America-the Land of the Free? I'm Catholic, and I have LOTS of people that tell me I'm not a Christian. This is just getting ridiculous. Look at the positive things, and let's not be so negative! Is this how Jesus would act? "

Walter wrote on Jan 31, 2008 1:08 PM:
" I have found it near impossible to have a meaningful dialogue with a Mormon because they are not interested in discussing the origins, revisions, contradictions, and anomalies of their religion. Instead, they give circuitous arguments based on additional faulty Mormon positions and tenets, capped by the claim that the Holy Spirit testifies to them personally as to the veracity of their position. It’s hard to engage in a dialogue with someone who will not consider other evidence and who is convinced that a personal revelation by the supposed Holy Spirit is the ultimate exclamation point authenticating their position. "

Keith wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:59 AM:
" Helen, I'll not respond to Rocky anymore, but you deserve one last try! SCRIPTURE IS THE ISSUE. It is not Mormonism that falls apart in light of the Bible, but YOUR personal twist on the Bible, YOUR hate based motivations, and YOUR creedal Christianity that fall apart. That is REALLY why you "don't care to discuss them". Mormonism is perfectly consistent with a spirit led, prayer based, interpretation of the Bible, whatever version you use! The Mormon Priesthood is no more controlling on Mormons, then your simplistic "Inerrant Word" view of the Bible is binding upon you. Admit it. You owe allegiance to God above all governments of men, and that God, your personal God, manifests himself and His will THROUGH your personal interpretation of the Bible! Add to that your irrational fear of Mormons and inner need to try and attack them, and your private God, your Fear and Anger, bind and control you more than any Mormon I know! Please break free now: John 8:32 "

Keith wrote on Jan 30, 2008 7:05 PM:
" Rocky never mind about dialogue on absolute truth: Truth appears to not be your thing! I just saw your Anti-Mormon website "Nauvoo Mormon Mecca" and discovered: 1. You mislead viewers by posting comments from this site and claiming they were written about your book. Then quote this news article in another place apart from the comments! 2. You leave out your posted comments giving a false impression. 3. You post only selected comments! 4. Helen is one of your disciples, decidedly not neutral! Any reason to doubt that such bias, agenda or tactics would also apply to all you do? I think not. What was that you said about intellectual honesty???? I truly am sorry for you and whatever happened that so filled you with bias! I will continue to pray for you! Signing off now to find honest discussion! "

Helen wrote on Jan 30, 2008 6:23 PM:
" Keith, your owning it has nothing to do with me, whatsoever, you missed the point. You choose to spit out a bunch of scriptures, why? I don't care to discuss them, that isn't the issue! Mormonism falls apart without the BOM, DC, POGP, and JST. However, it's the Mormon priesthood which should concern Americans. The book "When Salt Lake City Calls" by Rocky Hulse without a doubt shows anyone clearly that the Mormon Priesthood controls the Mormon people. That's the issue of this article and the book. "

Keith wrote on Jan 30, 2008 4:27 PM:
" Rocky either you haven't read, or don't get, my comments. Thankfully neutral parties will see from them, why I feel that reading your book would waste my time. I have no fear of your book or comments. Don't project your fears upon me. The fears behind why YOU hate what YOU once embraced. Fear that makes YOU refuse to respond to my evidences. Fear that prompts YOU to refuse to admit your bias. How can you use the words intellectual honesty, when you know your book targets your enemy? You admit your book is not about scripture, but make comments about scripture. You refuse to tackle my points, then claim you are not afraid to do just that. True Christianity CAN stand the test, but not your own personal version of Christianity! God's evidences will discredit any book or life work that is hate based! Do you really believe that your dogmatic adherence to your version of angry Christianity is any less compelling upon you than the oaths you say compel Mormons? I guess we're through, unless you really want to dialogue. Lets start with deeper issues, like Absolute Truth? "

Keith wrote on Jan 30, 2008 12:22 PM:
" Thanks Helen: I'll own it, when you understand it. Your "Christian view" means your private interpretation. Catholics have more books. Protestants using various translations disagree on essential doctrines, (i.e. once saved always saved)? The NIV's very existence is a statement that the King James was not translated correctly. Skeptics claim numerous errors in all Bibles. Even the earliest manuscripts are copies of copies. It is naive to believe in one universal "Christian view" or interpretation of the Bible. Thousands of different denominations prove that! The Real LDS view is: The missing books,(cited below), the influence of the creeds,(i.e. the non-biblical view of the trinity) and the problems with translations over time, caused by frail humans, missing records, deterioration of time, can be overcome, if we read the Bible, whatever version, and interpreted it under the influence of the Holy Spirit. That is why the spirit is so important. The Pharisees interpreted scripture by man's knowledge and rejected Christ. Peter was convicted by the spirit and served him. So yes, reading the Bible by the spirit gives you the true inerrant word of God. Yes, that word supports the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:00 PM:
" Keith - The article and the book aren't about your diversions to scripture. The article and the book are about the oaths and covenants of Mormonism that require absolute obedience and allegiance to the Mormon Church and its living male hierarchy. You've spent a lot of time trying to discredit me without being willing to actually talk about my work. You could silence my statements by actually taking my work and discrediting it. You say you won't. I can only assume you are afraid of my work. It may actually require you to be intellectually honest. I can understand your fear as a Mormon. I was once a Mormon and when the evidence is brought forward, Mormonism is indefensible. So, I understand your fear. On the other hand, I am not afraid to tackle anything the Mormon Church, or any other anti-Christian organization, may say. Cristianity can, and has, stood the test of time. "

Helen wrote on Jan 29, 2008 4:58 PM:
" Christian View of the Bible-Accurate: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:17) LDS Church View of the Bible-Corrupted: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." (8th article of faith) Keith, you throw around the words scripture a lot, but never say which one, your Mormon view of the Bible or the Chrisitan view of the Bible? If you are a TBM, your words seem to lead one to believe you are, then we know where you stand..."AS FAR AS IT IS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY..." if the Bible doesn't support Mormonism, then it is corrupted! That is your 8th article of faith statement, just own it. "

Keith wrote on Jan 29, 2008 1:04 PM:
" Did it again. No response to scripture, no thought or reasoning, just more Anti-stuff. Heard it all before. You must have had a very bad experience to hate Mormons so much. Honest researchers seek to make real discovery, instead of seeking evidence to fit preconceived notions. But your biases appearing here demonstrate that you do not seek real discussion. Reading the book would be a waste of time, your shallow reasoning overshadowing real analysis. Case in point: Your example below parallels the logic of those who stopped following Jesus, based on his "plain language" about eating His flesh. (Imagine how John 6:53 would sound in an "Anti-Jesus" book). Failure to seek the spirit blinded them; pride crippled their understanding, so they left their Lord. Please don't follow them. BTW1, Taxpayer's point was that your 20+ comments below and the article's assertions about timing, seem to indicate that you and your organization are one, Anti-Mormon in the extreme, with an agenda to unendorse Romney! Attempts to veil it behind the actions of an individual appear transparent! BTW2, Thanks for your service to our Nation, made me want to try once more to enlighten you. Out! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 28, 2008 9:35 PM:
" Keith, your criticisms are fully addressed and answered in my book; but alas, you won't read it, so just what are we supposed to discuss Keith, a psuedo strawman you conger up in your mind? Since you like the moon made of cheese example, did you know Brigham Young believed the moon and sun were inhabited? “Who can tell us of the INHABITANTS of this little planet that shines of an evening called the MOON? When we view its face we may see what is termed 'the man in the moon,' and what some philosophers declare are the shadows of mountains. But these sayings are very vague, and amount to nothing; and when you inquire about the INHABITANTS of that sphere you find that the most learned are as ignorant in regard to them as the ignorant of their fellows. So it is in regard to the INHABITANTS OF THE SUN. Do you think it is inhabited? I rather think it is. Do you think there is any life there? NO QUESTION OF IT; IT WAS NOT MADE IN VAIN.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, page 271) "

Keith wrote on Jan 26, 2008 4:19 PM:
" Rocky, you've totally ignored my points and scriptures, repeating the same old dogma. You refuse to respond intelligently. So I will end my blogging with this. If you believed the moon to be made of cheese. If you wrote a book, quoting others who vehemently agreed, and carefully, meticulously, reviewed your quotes, ensuring them to be contextually accurate, it would not change your error. Your documentation could be perfect, but the claim would still be FALSE. As a Mormon actively involved in politics, a student of law and world religions, a writer of books and reader of many Anti-Mormon and other religious writings, I contend that your basic premise is prima facia false. A faithful Mormon president would no more endanger the Constitution or our nation, then an Evangelical. In fact, historically some Evangelicals might BE dangerous to elect. For example, a "born again" pseudo-Christian, who demeans other faiths and dogmatically makes his/her private interpretation of the Bible, the "inerrant" word of God! Horrible historical injustices have been perpetrated by dogmatic false Christians, claiming to act for God! Rocky sees Mormons, as Machiavelli (The Prince) saw Christians? Read Acts 5:38-39. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 26, 2008 4:01 PM:
" Nice try "Cocerned Taxpayer," to try and use the IRS to censor information about the Mormon Church; but alas, all is quite legal. (1) The book isn't written by a 501(c)3, it was written by a private citizen. (2) The book doesn't endorse, or non-endorse any candidate. The book simply provides information for a voter to make an informed decision. (3) The book "When Salt Lake City Calls" never mentions any candidates name - the book simply defines Mormon doctrine. (4) The Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center, for whom I am the President, does not endorse or non-endorse any candidates. The NCVC simply provides information about the teachings and doctrines of Mormonism. So, "Concerned more about silencing information than compliance with the law" go ahead and call the IRS, we are in complete compliance with the law. If you wish to silence me, why don't you show that the information in the book is false? Oh, you can't, because I didn't make this stuff up; so, instead of bringing forth evidence to refute me, you're hoping the IRS can do it. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but all is above board. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 25, 2008 8:30 PM:
" Sorry Keith, Anonymous makes my point. They refuse to even look at any evidence. So, Mormons blindly accept their chain of prophets as legitimate without ever checking them out. Joseph Smith the founding prophet of Mormonism delivered 56 false prophecies during his lifetime. In Deuteronomy chapters 13 and 18 we find that any prophet who gives just one false prophecy is a false prophet. So Keith, Anonymous reinforces the premise of the book that Mormons are bound by oaths and covenants of absolute obedience and allegiance to the Mormon Church and it Priesthood, that is led by their "Prophet." Anonymous has already told us that they'll never look at anything not provided by the Mormon Church; what better way to control what your people know then to train them to be single source on everything. You can bet your last dollar that that if Anonymous was to receive a phone call from the "Prophet" of the Mormon Church to do anything, they'd do it. Blind obedience is a wonderful thing, if you're the leaders of the Mormon Church!! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 25, 2008 8:14 PM:
" Anonymous, I can't believe I'm responding to someone who doesn't even have the guts to identify themselves. Your three statements couldn't be more wrong. I did the research, I provided the documentation, that is hard evidence - can you understand that anonymous. Where does the information for Mormon websites come from: The Mormon Church. The testimonies of millions of Mormons is built upon fabricated information that any real research can easily disprove. Anonymous, I've done the research - millions of Mormons haven't, and it's apparent you haven't either. I have taken the Mormon "facts" and torn them apart with documentation. I'm not afraid of anything the Mormon Church has or will produce. The evidence against the history provided by the Mormon Church is irrefutable, there simply is no question; but, as you have said, anonymous, you'll never look at it. So, there's nothing I, nor anyone else, can say. Obviously, your mantra is: don't confuse me with facts, my mind is already made up. So, you who are afraid to even divulge your name, take the easy road and don't look at the evidence, it may require the courage to be intellectually honest. "

Concerned Taxpayer wrote on Jan 25, 2008 3:38 PM:
" What troubles me about all of this is that this book is obviously a play by a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization to influence an election, specifically by speaking against a candidate for office. In several interviews Rocky has given he has mentioned Mitt Romney a number of times. Perhaps this should be reported to the IRS. "

Keith wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:09 AM:
" Rocky: You just showed anonymous is right! You do not deny your bias and ill feelings about Mormons. You ignored the Biblical evidences I provided. You characterize the Mormon view, and thereby contradict your own original claims. If Mormon's "ignore everything but personal revelation," then they are completely free from external influence and impervious to "Salt Lake City calling" and safe to be elected! You misrepresent the Bible as complete. Where are: Paul's First letter to the Corinthians? 1COR5:9. Paul's letter to Laodicea COL4:16. The Books of Samuel, Nathan and Gad? 1CHRON 1:29. Just a few examples! From Peter's witness to the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit witnessed of truth, before the New Testament was compiled or its books written. You do expect others to accept your opinion and that of your documented sources. The evidence I provided to Erin, examined with prayer and the spirit contradict that opinion! The Bible must be studied in the power of the Holy Spirit, to reveal truth. Please do not let anger, hatred, or prejudice blind you to your Lord, as it did the Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus Day! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 24, 2008 8:43 PM:
" Keith, I have no problem with prayer and the conviction of the Holy Spirit; however, Mormonism revolves around ignoring everything, but "personal revelation." Jesus didn't say, "just pray about it." The Bible is a complete whole. A single verse of scripture does not a doctrine make. Jesus dealt with Satan by refuting him with the Word. Every attack of Satan was dealt with "it is written." Why were the Messianic Prophecies left for the world. So, evidence could be evaluated to prove that Jesus was who the prophecies said He was. Mormonism asks the person to disregard evidence and concentrate on a feeling. A feeling outweighs specific evidence contradicting what the feeling is supposed to confirm. Jesus never asked us to do that, and neither do I. I'm not asking anyone to believe my opinions. I fully documented my book and the author of the article this post is about, looked at the evidence before he wrote the article. Your desire is to have everyone ignore evidence and search for a feeling inspite of evidence. Christianity stands as a perfect mix of evidence and the affirmation of the Spirit; however, the evidence contradicts Mormonism. "

anonymous wrote on Jan 24, 2008 3:18 PM:
" Rocky, It wouldn't do any good to present you with any "evidence" that you are wrong because: 1) You wouldn't believe it anyway and it would be a waste of time. 2) You already have access to all the evidence you could ever want, through numerous resources on the web and elsewhere but it's useless to you because you choose not to believe anything that's not negative with regards to the LDS faith. Also, why should you have to depend on us bloggers for the evidence when it is so readily available. 3) You have the testimony of millions of LDS members, and even many non-LDS people, that you are wrong but you will never accept that as evidence, even though most of them are much better acquainted with the overall workings of the church leadership hierarchy and functioning than you are. As for reading your book: 1) I have much better uses for my limited and valuable time 2) I don't want to support your misguided efforts. But again, it's really a waste of time to argue with you on anything because you won't agree on anything we say. "

Keith wrote on Jan 24, 2008 12:33 PM:
" Rocky. You've reverted to your old tactics. Doing what you claim others do to you. Could it be your own Anti-Mormon "victimization" and "persecution" factors that make you feel attacked? I merely claim that your aggressive, angry comments and my sincere review of the article, demonstrate that you have a deep bias. Deny it if it is not so. Deny that you had a prejudice against Mormons before writing the book! You call me brain washed, and indicate I am fraught with victimization and persecution complexes, what are those but negative labels? You ignored my biblical points, and my evidences provided to Erin, isn't that marginalization? The Bible scriptures I provided support that Jesus and his disciples DID tell people to pray. Add Matthew 7:7-11 to the mix and it's clear that prayer leads to absolute truth. What greater witness is there than from God? I am sorry if you feel personally attacked. If contradicting false claims and pointing out error feels to you like a personal attack, maybe you should revisit Psychology 101. Still waiting your response to my 20 JAN, 7:42 answer. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 24, 2008 7:30 AM:
" Wow Keith, your analysis of Helen's comments essentially says anyone who reads the article but doesn't attack the article and the book it is written about has a pre-existing bias against Mormonism. The Mormon programming of the "Persecution Factor" and the "Victimization Factor" is coming through loud and clear. Anyone who makes any comment or observation about Mormonism that doesn't follow the "Officially Sanctioned" statements from Salt Lake City is "Anti-Mormon." Psychology 101: Negatively label someone, then you can marginalize them. You denagrade Helen's comments about talking only about the book and not addressing the article. Well, Keith you have posted 11 times on this thread without one actual point of refutation. You have provided no evidence that Mr. Faulkner's article or my book have misquoted, taken out of context, falsified, altered or deleted informamtion. All you have done is attack both authors personally. You don't have a leg to stand on Keith. You attack Helen from a totally unsubstantiated position. Keith, where is your evidence? Where is your proof to support your claims. Leave the Mormon position of "Personal Revelation" at home. Neither Jesus, nor His Apostles, roamed the countryside and told people "just pray about it." "

Keith wrote on Jan 23, 2008 1:24 PM:
" PAT: My Answers. 1.No, my comments are to the claims in the article above and comments below. Reading the book is not required. Besides if you wrote a book about personal experiences in time travel, and documented it well, with testimonials of those who believe they do it regularly, it would still be WRONG at face value, and a waste of time to read. But, you should expect criticism from scientists and deep thinkers alike, based on the claim itself, w/o their having to read the content. No need to read pornography to know it's wrong for my family. I needn't smoke pot to know it is evil, nor practice extortion to know it displeases God. I am glad you are a Catholic, since that means you do pray. WILL YOU read and pray about the resources I mentioned to Erin below? By the way, your Bible is really a compilation of many books, in fact some books in your Bible are REJECTED by Protestants. All Bibles mention missing scriptures. So it should not seem unusual for Mormons to accept additional revelations as God's word! God Bless "

Greg: Agree with Keith... wrote on Jan 23, 2008 1:21 PM:
" I agree with Keith that if the Mormon Church "dictates" how political figures who happen to be Mormon should act, then it is giving mixed signals. Keith wrote "...the Co-existence of Senators Harry Reid (Liberal Democrat) and Orrin Hatch (Conservative Republican) (both Mormons) proves the claim reported in the article is false!" The leading Democrat in the house (Reid)is so far "left" of Republican Utah Sen Orin Hatch who is far to the "right," that it is difficult to believe either could be in the same room, let alone espouse the same religion. But there you have it. The church apparently can't be feeding both of them their political thought. Both are LDS members held in high regard. There has never been a "censure" of political figures for their ideas or politics. This book will not add anything of value to the discussion. Rocky: Your obsession with Mormon's is not healthy. You don't like them. We get it. Please try to focus on something productive. I will sincerely pray for you. It is my hope that you will find happiness in this life and somehow be able to let go of the anger. "

Keith wrote on Jan 22, 2008 10:38 PM:
" Helen, I see two other themes. First, those who support the article above and the book it reports on, each reveal in their comments a pre-existing bias against Mormons. Second, almost without fail the same persons ignore counter points, and dismiss others' views simply because the presenter "has not read the book," even though this blog and its comments were supposed to focus on the news article and not the book! There is sufficient fallacy in both the claims reported in the article and the dogma in the comments below to cast doubt upon all other assertions. Do you honestly believe that the author was a religiously neutral party writing about Mormons and politics out of sincere curiosity and with no preconceived notions? Both the article and subsequent comments seem to reveal that the book was purposely written against an already despised faith, and with a specific agenda and timing. Finally there is plenty of inflammatory language and sensationalism in the comments below to indicate the true purposes of its supporters. Luke 6:45 "

pat wrote on Jan 22, 2008 7:02 PM:
" keith will you answer a few things i would like ask you .1 did you read the book.2nd why dont you prove what rocky wrote in his book is false.and my belive is cathlic . my religion only has one book.the bible .and how many does morman relgion have. "

Helen wrote on Jan 22, 2008 9:22 AM:
" One common theme runs through the comments: Those who have read the book are positive, and those who have not are negative. A quick read of the comments will show that those who have not read the book only attack the person who wrote it. There is no inflammatory language or sensationalism to be found in the book; only logical and systematic details of Mormon doctrines that clearly show there is a conflict between Mormonism and the public trust. The book "When Salt Lake City Calls" by Rocky Hulse, will seriously challenge your knowledge of Mormon doctrinal beliefs and how they affect those Mormons serving in public office. "

Keith wrote on Jan 22, 2008 8:59 AM:
" Pat: If you will not accept revelation from God as proof, then no amount of man made/provided evidence will convince you. Please prayerfully review the informaiton I provided to Erin below! It will provide you with an ample understanding of the truth on this topic! "

pat wrote on Jan 21, 2008 3:59 PM:
" keith im not questioning your faith but my point is why not prove that rocky book is false .why dont you prove that is wrong .i challange you to prove that is full of false teachings .i belive there is a god.and i also belive that god made us to use or minds .not to be mindless followers .why dont you question your leaders about why they lead you . "

William Tell wrote on Jan 21, 2008 1:23 PM:
" This thread is now getting attention in California. Go to the ocregister (Orange County Register) website, find “Publish Your Stuff” on the opening page, click “Blogs,” and then scroll to “Mormons and Fruits: Judging Romney’s Church.” "

Ed Mauss wrote on Jan 20, 2008 9:29 PM:
" Just one question: What exactly did Mitt Romney do (or didn't do) as Mass. governor that would make anyone believe he would take orders from an LDS prophet? Not sure I see a reason to be afraid. "

Keith wrote on Jan 20, 2008 9:16 PM:
" Pat: You are obviously not understanding my point. I will simplifiy. God, Our Heavenly Father, has revealed to both my heart and my mind, by the power of his Holy Spirit, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) is the true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ upon the earth. That is my proof! I further witness to you that the beleifs you express about the church are in error! You are free to reject my testimony. You can ignore my witness. My only point is that before you do, you ought to at least ASK GOD ABOUT IT! Please rely on God and not man! Blessings! "

keith wrote on Jan 20, 2008 7:42 PM:
" Rocky: Your point about prayer also applies to Christians. Many denominations interpret the Bible differently. What makes yours right? Millions of Muslims believe the Qur'an is God's word, not you. What makes you right? How do you know the Bible is God's word, if not by the Spirit? Tradition? Science? Knowledge of Torah was NOT the source of Peter's witness, but revelation from God: Matt16:13-18. Interestingly, the scriptorians of Peter's day REJECTED Jesus! Thus Peter later taught that scripture is not for private interpretation. 2Peter1. Paul, as Saul, knew the scriptures but still assented to Stephen's death. The written word didn't convert him, Jesus did, through the Spirit, and Paul later taught, THE TRUE WITNESS comes from the Holy Ghost! ICor 12:3. Satan, the angel of light, deceives the physical senses, not the spiritual. Interpreting scripture w/o the spirit is subject to the same deception, since it relies on the physical! IJohn 4 really teaches that we should judge by the spirit's message through revelation like that at Pentecost, the sweet power of the Spirit that Satan cannot fake! But thankfully God promises wisdom to all who seek. James1:5 "

Keith wrote on Jan 20, 2008 5:37 PM:
" Erin: My focus has been the news article and comments. My premise: Revelation is the most reliable source of truth. Please prayerfully consider these evidences: Read: Doctrine and Covenants 98: 5-10, 101: 77-80, & 109:54, Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 2:26-27 & Mosiah 29:1-40, Pearl of Great Price, Moses 4:3 To truly understand a faith group, review THEIR scriptures. These uniquely LDS scriptures are esteemed by Mormons as the word of God. These verses teach what true Mormons really believe about Politics and Government. Note that agency (free will) is defining! Joseph Smith explained; "I teach them correct principles and THEY GOVERN THEMSELVES! The Handbook of Instructions, which governs administration within the church states: "while affirming the right of expression in political and social issues the CHURCH IS NEUTRAL regarding political parties, platforms, and candidates…Nor DOES IT ADVISE MEMBERS HOW TO VOTE! There is so much more. Search political topics on the church's website it will reveal what I cannot fit here. If you reject those evidences, the Co-existence of Senators Harry Reid (Liberal Democrat) and Orrin Hatch (Conservative Republican) (both Mormons) proves the claim reported in the article is false! "

pat wrote on Jan 18, 2008 8:32 PM:
" keith if the book that rocky wrote is false .then prove it that what he wrote is false. i belive in freedom of speech and freedom purse your relgion in what you belive in .but how can you call morman religoin a religion .when the prohpets or leaders have there followers not think for them self. total devotion.and take oaths every week .and not to qustion the leaders decsion . and to also belive that all other religions are false .also keith why you prove that what information in rockys book is not true .prove him wrong .and show everyone the tuth about morman religion .instead prove it. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 18, 2008 4:46 PM:
" Keith, please show me where the Bible says: Just pray about it. In fact 1 John 4:1 says to try the spirits to see if they are from God. How do you do that? By comparing all things to Gods Word, the Bible. What did Jesus use to confront Satan in the wilderness? Each attack by Satan was dealt with by Jesus quoting the Word: "It is written." What was Paul's modus operandi? He went first to the synagogue and read from the Word. Paul didn't just tell the Jews or Gentiles "Pray about it." Paul "reasoned" with them through the scriptures. In Acts 17:11, the Bereans are applauded for not believing Paul and checking him out via the scriptures. If validation is through prayer, the Muslims got you beat 5 times a day by over a billion believers. Why are their prayers, their "spiritual" convictions not true, while yours are? The standard used throughout time has been the Bible, not a spiritual experience. II Cor 11:14 tells us that even Satan can appear as an angel of light. Spiritual experiences can be deceptive. I Thes 5:21 says "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 18, 2008 4:32 PM:
" Erin: the difference. Mr. Huckabee makes no excuses for his beliefs and moral foundation being centered in Jesus Christ and Biblical principles. For a Christian, there is no one on earth who can say "I speak for God." Christians can and should receive counsel from many sources, the Book of Proverbs tells us to do that, so I agree with receiving wise counsel. Mormonism says that their living male Priesthood leaders, culminating in their "Prophet" have the "right, authority and power to speak the mind and will of God." The evidence of the book "When Salt Lake City Calls" clearly shows that under the doctrines of Mormonism, if the Mormon Prophet, or other Priesthood leadership tell Mr. Romney to do something, he is bound by absolute oath and covenant to do it. If the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Mr. Land, was to tell Mr. Huckabee to do something, Mr. Huckabee is under no such obligation like the the Mormon is. Mr. Huckabee could tell Mr. Land: Thanks, but no thanks. Mr. Romney on the other hand, could lose his very standing in eternity if he should refuse Mormon authority. That's the difference. "

Erin wrote on Jan 17, 2008 3:39 PM:
" I find it interesting, that in 50-postings, no one has brought evidence to the table to challenge the information in Mr. Hulse’s book. Could that be because the book provides accurate language from leaders of the Mormon faith? What this dialog has gotten away from is the question that Mr. Hulse is giving us information to answer: Will a politician service his Mormon faith over those who voted him/her into office? Mr. Hulse-Would you be able to give me a clear understanding of what you think the difference is between Romney and Huckabee; and how their religions would affect their potential presidency? "

keith wrote on Jan 17, 2008 11:29 AM:
" Pat. I have nothing against freedom of speech or speaking out against false teachings, that is what I am doing! I also have nothing against the free exercise of religion. What have you got against Free Exercise? It is the Mormon faith, not Rocky's religion, if he has one, that is being challenged. My only question for you is why you claim Mormon teachings are false based on a book written by a man. Man is fallible, and subject to prejudice, bias and hatred. Historians can and do write anything they want. Current trends in history are to malign great leaders and cite other writings to document their claims, without acknowledging that those base writings are also biased. It seems to me that it would be wiser to ask of the perfect God, through prayer, before deciding if a faith group's teachings are false, or their religion is in error. Failure to do so is to be indoctrinated by man. Revelation over Research is all I am saying, and many anti-Mormons would agree with that premise, at least in the area of evolution! "

pat wrote on Jan 16, 2008 9:27 PM:
" keith did you read the book .and what do you got against people speak out about false teachings.i hold nothing againsted mormon people .but this book inlighted me about their religionso what do you got against freedom speech. "

Keith wrote on Jan 16, 2008 2:20 PM:
" Conversely, it proves my point, getting through to indoctrinated, self-deceived, anti-Mormon, fanatics is difficult. "Do not confuse me with SPIRITUAL evidence, heaven revealed truth, prayer or the Holy Word of God. I've got a man produced book!!!" Contrary to your indoctrinated claims, I have read much Anti-Mormon literature and engaged in many religious discussions with dogmatists and sincere seekers alike. I have documented their fallacies, and over time that practice has taught me how much like the Pharisees', their tactics are. Interestingly, like those who persecuted the early Saints, some even believe they "do God a service!" They did claim Jesus had a devil They now claim Mormons are brain washed Similarly, in the end their Pharisaical dogma and hate clouds their spiritual reasoning to the end that they will stick to man-made claims over God sent revelation every time. Hatred and prejudice are really the perfect form of mind control. How very sad. It is also sad that Pat forgot to seek wisdom from God to verify the claims he now accepts as truth. I feel no hate, no anger, just indoctrinated compassion. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 16, 2008 8:52 AM:
" Thank you Pat. Keith, once again you make the point of the book. When dealing with a Mormon, the indoctrination is so strong that evidence doesn't matter, who cares about facts, and logical and reasoned arguments are foolish - at least in a Mormon's mind. Mormons are indoctrinated from the time that they can speak, that Mormonism is "The only true Church on the face of the earth"; and that "Joseph Smith was a modern day Prophet of God, as is the current Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Joseph restored the only true Church to the earth." The major indoctrination that Mormons just can't see past is that anything that is written about their Church, but not by the Church, is ANTI-MORMON material and is false and is not to read. A more perfect means of mind control simply can not be found! This indoctrination process is so strong and ingrained in Mormons, that trying to talk to a Mormon about their religion, with facts and evidence is like trying to talk to the exhaust side of a jet engine. Keith is a perfect example - "Don't confuse me with facts, I've been indoctrinated!!" "

pat wrote on Jan 15, 2008 6:43 PM:
" i read the book .it is very well writing.i thought anybody doesnt read the book and makes snap judgements about the book and rocky hulse and about his information he presents all doctimation .he very nice person.he puts all the facts out there.for everyone to prove that his lying about what wrote.i just cant belive people would that are that stupid makeing snap jugements or threating people for telling the truth . "

Keith wrote on Jan 14, 2008 4:23 PM:
" Jesus said: You shall know them by their fruits! There is ample evidence of your true nature, and fallacies, in your responses to all who have written. Reading your book is not necessary. Your hypocrisy in calling me "Drive By Mormon", in essence smearing me while complaining of being smeared, reveals hypocrisy. Anyone reading over your comments below will see that you frequently commit toward writers the same acts you chastise them for. Your claims made below are false. No amount of documentation will change that absolute truth. Reading your book will not make them true. For the neutral reader the choice is easy. Trust your hateful claims, backed by the "arm of the flesh" you call documentation, or ask God. Those who trust God, can through prayer, know spiritually that your claims are false. I feel real hatred in your responses, and in each I see the reflection of the Pharisees. It is sad how fanatical and indoctrinated you are. Please see that history is revisionist and biased, but Peter taught us a better way, that is, revelation from God is what leads to truth. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 14, 2008 9:59 AM:
" Thank you Keith for making the very premise of my book. The book documents that the Mormons don't submit to the God of the Bible, they submit to a living male hierarchy. The Mormons very belief is that their living male Priesthood leaders are in fact God's living oracles on earth and therefore absolute submission to a bunch of old men in Salt Lake City is submission to the God of the Mormon Church Himself. Once again you comment on a book you haven't read. I don't comment on Mormonism from an ignorant position as you have done on this book. When I comment on Mormonism it is with their very statements in my hand. I do the research before I comment. You however, are just a "Drive-by Mormon." You have just driven by and smeared me without even knowing who or what you are smearing. But then, that makes the point of the book as well - you can't help yourself. You are bound by absolute oaths and covenants to defend Mormonism at all costs - you are just doing what you have been indoctrinated to do. The book explains this, with documentation, as well. "

keith shurtleff wrote on Jan 13, 2008 6:35 PM:
" Just thought I would weigh in on Rocky's basic premise one last time. Jesus Christ said; The Son can do NOTHING of himself, but what he Seeth the Father do, John 5:19, I do nothing of myself but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things, John 8: 28, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, John 4:34. Isn't it interesting that He who will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He upon whose shoulders the government will one day rest, WOULD NOT, under Rocky's basic premise, be eligible to run for president. Any premise that would restrict the greatest being who ever lived from holding public office, simply because of his strict submission to the high moral and ethical principles of his Father, GOD, which incidentally appeared to His enemies to be dogmatic, is a premise that must be rejected. The true issue here is not a candidate's submission to a higher power, however that is expressed. The issue is Rocky's biased belief that Mormon's submit to the wrong highest power. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 8, 2008 10:44 PM:
" "Big River-hasn't read the book, but can equate its content to the holocaust!" You haven't read the book so you are ignorant of its content. So I say to you Big River "Ignorance=fear=hate=violence" That's exactly what you have done to this book: you are "ignorant" of its content, so you "fear" it; your "fear" translates to the "hate" of comparing my writing of this book to the beginnings of the holocaust: you "Big River" do "violence" to honest research and "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of the Press." Read the book "Big River" and provide evidence, facts, or a logical argument based on the content of the book. Not having read the book, yet making the comments you have is intellectually dishonest. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 4, 2008 7:05 PM:
" Good grief Ted, what in the world does George Bush have to do with a researched book about Mormonism? Once again, Ted, I researched this issue and accurately reported on it. You accuse me of being narrowminded; yet that is the very position you are operating from. You won't read the book because you're afraid your Mormon Church will find out, or take the position, "Don't confuse me with facts, my mind is already made up," and you have the audacity to accuse me of being narrowminded. You're a laugh a minute Ted. How about doing something other than the "Drive-by Smear." Here's an idea Ted, try something novel, bring some evidence to this forum - oh, I forgot, you can't bring forth any evidence because your "Church" won't allow you to look at anything not approved by them. Well, Ted, my book certainly isn't "approved" by "The Brethren." So it's your choice Ted, you can read my book, and see some researched information or remain under "mind control." The choice is yours. So who's narrowminded? "

BigRiver wrote on Jan 4, 2008 6:26 PM:
" ignorance=fear=hate=violence. As humans, we are afraid of those things we don't understand or know about. We don't like to fear things; that is a weakness, and so we begin to hate the things we fear. Hate can consume us to the point of violence. I find it rather sad that someone would devote so much of their time, to tearing down another's religion. Time would be better spent doing what we can to uplift our fellow man, and helping them. I believe that is more in line with the teachings of Christ. ANY religion bashing is nothing more than a promotion of ignorance! Just ask any of the six million victims of Nazi Germany. We say nothing like that could happen here, but it starts, with little things like this book. Our time would be better spent getting to know our neighbors, not worrying about their religion. If all you can see is a person's religion, you have become blind, and I feel sorry for you. "

Ted wrote on Jan 4, 2008 11:05 AM:
" Rocky, my comments were about YOUR bigotry, narrowmindedness and lack of understanding. And yes, you get one point... Deists do not consider themselves Christians, but could be Christians. They were openminded. Your book and your attitude is what is going to bring this nation down: narrowmindedness and lack of tolerance. We have had eight years of intolerance, lack of judgment and stupidity. Bush is your poster child. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 4, 2008 9:16 AM:
" Ted - You are the one who attacked anyone who identified themselves as having a Christian faith as a "right-wing Christian zealot whose religion will cloud their good sense." I guess the term "Deist" then eliminates the Founding Fathers in your mind as Christians. But, Ted, lest we forget what this article was written about. It was written about a book that clearly shows that Mormons are bound by oath and covenant of absolute obedience and allegiance to their "church" and it's living male hierarchy. So, Ted, there are lots of blogs and other forums that you can discuss all day long your aversion to anyone professing to be a Christian. This article wasn't about that. Perhaps you could read the article again to help refresh your memory, or better yet read the book, "When Salt Lake City Calls" upon which the article was written. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 4, 2008 9:06 AM:
" So John, when you were in school, you didn't need or read any textbooks because your sense told you what was right. Perhaps the research I do proves something. But, since you will never read it, then ignorance is bliss. Knowledge really is fearful to some people. I guess your "sense" is the arbiter of all truth. "

John wrote on Jan 3, 2008 4:15 PM:
" I won't read this book. From what I've read of his articles in the paper, I sense that he is right and no one else is. Why can't people let others believe in what they want. And in my opinion all religions are cults. "

Ted wrote on Jan 3, 2008 10:57 AM:
" Just for the historical record, Rocky, most Europeans didn't come to North America for religious freedom. They came because of free land and the constant European wars. Germans came here mostly because of the dire situation after and during the Thirty Years War that devastated central Europe in the 1600s. Perhaps some came here for their religious beliefs, but most of them came here for land and a better life. "

Ted wrote on Jan 3, 2008 10:52 AM:
" Rocky, wrong again. Most of the early Americans who sought separation from England were Deists. You could hardly call them right-wing Christians. Jefferson, Franklin and other leaders were followers of Locke and other English philosophers who were less Christian and more inclined to be free thinkers. Something no one could ever accuse you of. Please let us know where you got your information about how "98% of early Americans" were Christians. Who took that poll? "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Jan 2, 2008 10:21 PM:
" Ted, you are so right!! We shouldn't let anyone with a religious conviction cloud their good sense. In fact let's go back in our history and use our Constitutional freedoms to erase the names, and all work they did, of those who expressed their Christian beliefs as part of who they were and what they did. Yikes - we wouldn't have a Constitution if it wasn't for all those nasty right wing Christian zealots. Only about 98% of those involved in the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution identified themselves as Christians. Oh my Ted, weren't they just despicable people? "

Ted wrote on Dec 31, 2007 7:06 PM:
" I think Peter Smith said it about as well as anyone could. What we do NOT need is an evangelical Baptist preacher trying to make foreign policy with his zealot's attitude about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism or any other non-Christian group. Mike Huckabee must not be president nor any other right-wing Christian zealot whose religion will cloud their good sense. "

Ted wrote on Dec 31, 2007 6:41 PM:
" Mr Hulse, I believe you missed my point. The American presidency has been bought and paid for by lobbies and big money for at least the past fifty years, if not since the beginning of our nation. Money always buys influence. Substitute voter blocs for money and you have the influence of right wing Christian groups that have essentially elected the past presidents from Reagan to Bush II. It is well known that AIPAC, an Israeli lobby and influence peddler, has bought and paid for congressmen and presidents alike. Why do you think Bush and Cheney schedule speeches to AIPAC gatherings? Anyone who has examined politics in the US for the past fifty years (as I have) knows that our presidents are selected by money and influence and not by voters. Why else do we have only TWO parties of consequence? With all the good candidates in this country, we elect an actor and a fool in the past 30 years. You ever wonder why? "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 28, 2007 11:50 PM:
" Ted, there is a huge difference. Whatever you may believe with respect to Christian churches, lobbyists, Israel or Zionists, none of these can have a direct effect on President Bush's eternal state. That is what you have with a Mormon. Their belief is that their Prophets from Joseph Smith to the Judgment,and the Mormon Apostles that served with those Prophets will judge Mormons on Judgment day and tell Jesus what to do with them. Therefore, if a Mormon in public office were to defy the dictates of Mormon leadership, they will face them on Judgment Morning. That is a doctrinal vice that places a Mormon in an extremely difficult decisionary situation between the short term of earth life compared to the eternities - how do you think a Mormon will react? If they defy Mormon leadership they may pay for that defiance for trillions upon trillions of years in eternity. That condition doesn't exist for the rest of the world, only for Mormons. That is the reason for the book. It exposes this unique doctrinal position of Mormonism that directly contradicts our American Democratic Ideals! The American voter deserves to know about this condition!! "

Ted wrote on Dec 28, 2007 4:50 PM:
" I see little difference between Romney's allegiance to his church and the allegiance of the NeoCons like Bush and his cabal to the right-wing Christian churches and to the lobbyist money of Israel and Zionists. We fought in Iraq for Israel. We prepare to fight in Iran for Israel and fundamentalist Christians support Israel as well. What is the difference? Who controls our Congress if not for money from lobbyists and Israel? "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 27, 2007 9:32 AM:
" Suzanne - actually its not amazing at all. The book is meant to help educate the American electorate about the fact that there are conditions that exist in requirements for membership in the Mormon Church that are contrary to our American Democratic Ideals of having representation in the halls of government that are free and unencumbered. You don't publish a book about educating people concerning the problems in elections when there's no election going on - you must'nt have made that connection. You say there "seems" to be contrived lies and half truths. Well how would you now if you haven't read the book! You're like a jurist that doesn't want to sit in that "boring trial" and have to listen to all that "boring evidence"; let's just vote on it so I can go home and watch TV. Actually Suzanne, uninformed people are judging Mormonism without looking at the evidence - based on your statements, that would be you. Samuel Johnson made a statement that is unquestionably appropriate to this discussion and I include it in the front of the book: "Fraud and falsehood only dread examination. Truth invites it." Suzanne, I invite examination. I'm sorry you don't. "

Suzanne wrote on Dec 26, 2007 5:23 PM:
" Amazing isn't it that this book had the fantastic timing to come out during a presidential debate time and caucus time. No, I have not read Mr. Hulse's book, and at this point I have no desire to read something that seems to be contrived on lies and half truths. This country was founded on religious freedom. It is also amazing that a religion that has been around for over 150 years is still considered a cult by some uninformed people. I will make my decisions based upon a politicians plan and not their own religious affiliations. "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 19, 2007 8:45 PM:
" Keith. Thank you for your post. "Claiming a book is well documented means only that it correctly cites numerous sources; it does not mean that the sources cited are true." Rocky's scources are Mormon scources. Personally, I don't believe they are true... but they were correctly cited. "To assign truth to anything man has written is to" trust in the arm of the flesh." Many, if not most, of the citings in Rocky's book are from LDS Prophets. I guess that's the issue with me. I suspect these supposed Prophets were mere men... and I don't believe them. I agree with your comment about history and historians. That is why it is important to read from many, not just one, compare what each has claimed and how they differ, and then use one's own independant judgement to determine what to believe. The issue, for me, is not so much what test a candidate must pass to qualify. It's a question of "Do I believe they think independantly enough to make important decisions." In Mitt's case, would I have to place that confidence Gordon B. Hinkly? Read Rocky's Book. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 19, 2007 5:46 PM:
" Keith - Your post is what Mormons are really good at - I call it a "Drive-by Smear." You haven't read the book, you provide no specific evidence (because you haven't read the book), no quotes that are out of context or incorrectly quoted (two reasons here: 1) they're not out of context or incorrectly quoted, 2) You haven't read the book), yet you can analyze my thoughts and reasoning. Typical Mormon behavior - "Drive by and smear" with nothing to support your position. You really make the point of my book for me - Mormons are led by blind obedience and allegiance to the "Church" and the Mormon Priesthood. The momment anyone comments on Mormonism the programmed Mormon goes instantaneously into the "protect the Church at all costs mode." Evidence, facts, who cares; just lash out and protect the Church at all costs. You haven't read the book, so you must work for the Psychic Channel or perhaps Miss Cleo herself, in order to evaluate what you haven't read. I'll be honest and not comment on the book you're pushing because I haven't read it. Would you extend to me the same courtesy? "

Keith wrote on Dec 19, 2007 2:21 PM:
" Like the humans in Charlottes Web, some people will believe anything simply because it is in writing. Claiming a book is well documented means only that it correctly cites numerous sources; it does not mean that the sources cited are true. To assign truth to anything man has written is to" trust in the arm of the flesh." Any honest historian will tell you that all history is both biased and revisionist. Furthermore, if the premises of Hulse's arguments are logically examined, it forces the conclusion that no person with convictions, no one with a loyalty to anyone or anything other than themselves, would be fit for office. Whether it is prayer, a Pope, the Bible, a prophet, or the Constitution, which governs a person's moral choices and informs their decisions; under Hulse's biased logic they would be disqualified from service. That only leaves unprincipled people, who will do or "write" anything, as potential candidates. Finally Wayne, I am sure the Pharisees of old felt the same way about those who supported Jesus. Don't trust in the "arm of the flesh", seek spiritual guidance. Read Whited Tombs! "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 17, 2007 2:58 PM:
" I highly recommend "When Salt Lake City Calls" to anyone interested in LDS influence over Mormons running for public elected office. Hulse is so even handed the reader will quickly see that cries of 'persecution' or 'Mormon bigotry' are inappropriate. Prior to this read, I was only concerned about what influence the Church might have on a Mormon President. Now I'm not sure I'd support one for "dog catcher" unless I knew a great deal more about his/her thinking. Hulse's analysis of the 'Mark Hofmann Murders' was brilliant. His synopsis of the 'Mountain Meadows Massacre' was exceptional... a conservative, detailed chronology that not even apologetic LDS historians can , or will, attempt to refute. The early chapters challenge the reader to reconcile 'Mormon Doctrine', past and present, with American Public Interest. Though repetitive at times, once the reader gets used to the authors use of emphasis to make a point, this is more helpful than annoying. How the Mormon Priesthood, including Prophets at the top of this order, have played a governing role of undue influence in the Mountain Meadows and Hofmann crimes makes for a powerful finish. Five Stars. "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 16, 2007 10:28 PM:
" Keith. Your accusations about hating, maligning and crusifiction are way over the top. They render your comment ridiculous and your effort pointless. I'm almost finished reading Rocky's book. When I'm done I'll have some comments of my own to post. They will be analytical and hopefully relevant. "

Chris Faulkner wrote on Dec 16, 2007 8:52 PM:
" Scott, Re: "I'm amazed" I second that emotion! "

Scott Fancher wrote on Dec 16, 2007 9:22 AM:
" I haven't yet had an opportunity to read the book, but hope to do so soon. I have to say that I am absolutely amazed at the lack of his distractors (Bob, Real Historian, Alan, Brad) to butress their criticisms with references to errors in his scholarship. Debate the premise please: does the priesthood require loyalty to the Church over everything else? Name calling is childish and counterproductive. I don't care what Alan's priesthood leaders asked him to do - he's not likely to be president of the United States. Refer me to authoritative Mormon sources which demonstrate that Rocky is wrong. "

Renee wrote on Dec 15, 2007 2:13 PM:
" Please read this book before you make out of hand comments. I've just read the first two chapters of Mr. Hulse's book. They're great. Mr. Hulse gives the facts and allows the reader to draw his own conclusions. I especially like the notes to the original sources which enable the reader to see the documents for herself in their entirety if she so chooses. He does empasize the LDS doctrine but that is necessary to help the reader understand the differences between LDS teachings and traditional Biblical teachings. I've been studying Mormonism for over 18 years and still I learned a few things I didn't know; probably because I've been focused on doctrinal issues not the politics of Mormonism. Thank you Mr. Hulse for giving me another reference to use in my ministry. "

Keith Shurtleff wrote on Dec 15, 2007 12:54 PM:
" I would like to thank Rocky Hulse and his supporters for demonstrating in our day, how it was that the religious leaders in Jesus' day, could hate, malign, and crucify the very God they professed to serve. The difference between Hulse and Caiaphas is only the century in which they live. Truly Rocky and his gang fit Our Savior's description of being Whited Sepulchers. Thankfully an analytical and factual response to claims such as theirs can be found in the book "Whited Tombs" "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 13, 2007 11:41 PM:
" So Mitt believes that one Prophet of God in all this world resides in his Church. Or does he? Does the simple fact that this is of concern to me make me a religious bigot? Does Huck believe in any doctrine similar to this? Sincerely Peter, I'm asking? Can we have a discussion about these very simple questions. I'm leaning more toward Giuliani myself. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 13, 2007 10:35 AM:
" Peter, Mormonism begins with the "First Vision," which is now Mormon Scripture. In the book of Joseph Smith 1:19, Joseph claims God the Father and Jesus appeared to him in a vision and Joseph asked them which church he should join. According to Joseph, Jesus answered: "19. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt;..." So Peter, aren't you being just a tad dishonest in saying the Mormon website says nothing negative about the SBC. Maybe it doesn't, I haven't reviewed the whole website; nonetheless, Mormon scripture in one sentence condemns all of Christianity - All churches are wrong - All creeds are an abomination (Christian Creeds are simply Christian Doctrine) - and all professors of Christianity are corrupt. When Christians defend themselves from the all out attack levied against them by Mormon scripture, they are vilified. Mormons then falsely claim, our church never says anything bad about other churches - I just provided concrete evidence showing that Mormonism first attacked all of Christianity and now plays the innocent victim. "

Eric Hoffman wrote on Dec 13, 2007 10:31 AM:
" Peter, Quit with the strawman arguments. I have not seen you bring one slight iota of evidence proving otherwise. Perhaps this conversation is better suited in the Celestial Room. But that will not work either due to the fact that I do not possess the necessary bar coded temple card to enter. In Him, -Eric Deal with your religion or get a new one! "

Peter Smith wrote on Dec 13, 2007 1:02 AM:
" Intelligent people will rise above all this anti-Mormon garbage. If not, then let me suggest a diversion. Did you know that the Southern Baptist Convention has dozens of anti-Mormon articles on their website? Did you also know that the LDS website has nothing negative about the SBC? Let's see - which would I rather have, a devisive Huck who lies when he says he doesn't know about Mormons (seems that if he were an ordained minister in the faith, he'd know about the anti-mormon material they publish) - or a man who is honest about what his faith means to him. Even if I don't vote for Mitt, I sure as hell won't vote for a man who is openly bigotted about religion. Hulse, maybe you should go study something else. "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 13, 2007 12:05 AM:
" That Mormons are obviously wading in on this discussion is good. But would you please desist with the personal attacks and the percieved persecution? Just because someone writes a book you can't find in the Desesrt Bookstore doesn't mean he's a 'Mormon Hater'. There are many good books written on the history of the LDS. Linn, Lee, Hickman, Stenhouse, Brodie, Backus, Brooks, Bagley, Wixom, Sessions, Hilton and Schindler have all contributed rich historical documentaries, most of their works meticulously footnoted. Nearly all of these writers are, or were Mormon. Few of their works can be found in the Mormon approved bookstores. They all tell a fascinating story about a fascinating people. That I don't happen to believe their story is divinely inspired, or that their Prophet was of God, doesn't mean I hate them... or even that I have some sort of ax to grind. It just makes me an unbeliever who happens to find them, and their story, terribly fascinating. Maybe someone could actually read Rocky's book and we can begin to have an intelligent discussion about an important topic. "

Maria Schneider wrote on Dec 12, 2007 2:14 PM:
" I want to thank Rocky for writing this book and for all the work and research he does to inform others about the truth concerning Mormonism. Mormons are good at making accusations, but poor in backing them up. Anything that they don't agree with or reveals unflattering information about the church they call "Anti-Mormon". Well you know who prints the best "Anti-Mormon" material? The Mormons! By their own records, which is their down fall, counterdict themselves. Anyone can make a statement, then deny it later, but when you put the statement on paper and print it, you can no longer deny it. People from the Mormon church are so brainwashed they can't see the forest on account of the trees. When there is evidence provided as proof and you still don't believe, then you are either brainwashed or just plain dumb. Thank you Rocky and Helen for all you do. My God bless, provide and protect you! "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 12, 2007 12:53 PM:
" Wow, Mr. Jones, what is really pathetic is that all you can resort to are personal attacks against me and this newspaper. Where are the facts. If you have ever read anything I've published, or watched any of our TV shows, you have had every opportunity to show that I am falsifying information. Since you bring nothing, but just resort to personal attacks shows you have nothing to offer. I work with facts - you on the other hand have demonstrated you work with insults; that Mr. Jones is what is really contemptible and pathetic! I would welcome any kind of objective, reasoned argument. If you can do that, let's talk. If you just what to roll around in the gutter, you defame yourself. "

Bob Jones wrote on Dec 12, 2007 9:34 AM:
" It is hard to believe that anyone including this paper would consider this local yokel Rocky Hulse an expert on anything let alone such a complex subject as a major religion. Rocky's sole claim to fame is that his "religion" seems to take pride in defaming someone else's faith. How sad, contemptible and pathetic "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 11, 2007 10:38 PM:
" I must respond to "A Real Historian." As a part of my position as the President of the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center, I have written nearly 50 monthly newsletters, the scripts for over 200 weekly TV shows, and have produced 4 different seminars on Mormonism. With all of this "Historical" research, I've been challenged just twice, two TV shows. We came back and proved the challenges were in error; so, I guess if I'm such a poor historian, Mormons are worse yet! Since you haven't read the book, to label me as a "tabloid writer" simply shows you are purely agenda driven, not truth driven. However, your statements associating me with "ostraciszation and violence," are irresponsible and blatantly false. I have never advocated any such thing towards Mormons or anyone else; however, my wife and I have received death threats that have been tracked to Mormons. Mr. "Real Historian" your comments show your true colors. Shame on you. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 11, 2007 10:16 PM:
" Responding to Peter 12/11/07 6:46 AM. Peter I hope you like cheese, and watch out for the cow jumping over your moon. You haven't read the book, so you are using the same old tired Mormon defense statements based on blind obedience instead of using facts and reasoned arguments. If you'd like some original research, read the book, because I do present new original research - unlike your dismissal based on the indoctrination regiment you have succumbed to being a Mormon. You provide no facts, no evidence, just the standard marginalization tactics that are the party line for Mormons. You denegrate the "Daily Democrat" here when they did their homework; they checked out the facts. What a hypocrite! I believe you are embarrassing yourself Peter! "

Brad Teare wrote on Dec 11, 2007 3:27 PM:
" Forgive me for getting involved in this discussion. Good luck with your book and best wishes. "

Sharon wrote on Dec 11, 2007 2:36 PM:
" According to the article, Mr. Hulse reached his conclusions through researching the authoritative teachings of Mormon leaders. He has documented his sources so readers can check context, etc. But the critical comments left here don't even bother to address the issues raised in the book. No one has offered anything more than personal anecdotes or personal attacks against Mr. Hulse's abilities, motives and character. I, for one, would like to know how the Mormon Prophet would counsel President Mitt Romney if the prophet received a new revelation from God specifically directed at the president. What is the official teaching of the Church in this circumstance? To whom does Mr. Romney owe his allegiance if what is imparted via alleged revelation does not appear to be the best move for the nation -- or even the world? If Mr. Romney were to choose to place his presidential oath above his temple oath, would he lose his shot at Godhood? Mormons may talk about their own experiences all they want, but what I want to know is what Mormon leaders say and expect. It seems to me that Mr. Hulse's book provides that information. I can't wait to read it. "

A Real Historian wrote on Dec 11, 2007 1:55 PM:
" Hulse knows about as much about Mormonism as the politician Mitt Romney—and that ain't much. If anyone really wants to know about the beginnings of Mormonism, try H. Michael Marquardt, The Rise of Mormonism: 1816-1844, also by Xulon Press. Marquardt is also a former Mormon, but he's a real historian, not a tabloid writer, who advocates understanding and Christian fellowship rather than ostracization and violence. "

Frank Kirkman wrote on Dec 11, 2007 12:17 PM:
" The reason our Mormon friends have resorted to name calling and are taking such a defensive posture is that the truth really hurts. They are afraid to go out and research their cult such as Mr. Hulsey did after he was confronted. The consequences of leaving the Mormon Cult is not easy and can be a very serious situation in some cases even life threatening. God bless our Mormon friends and Grace be with you. Chris Faulkner your little pom poms apparently are getting some readers attention! "

Are you afraid wrote on Dec 11, 2007 8:27 AM:
" Are you afraid of Rocky, the facts he speaks of or the truth? I think Rocky's book contains factual information and he speaks the truth. You need not be afraid of the truth, it will set you free. "

Robert F. Bell wrote on Dec 11, 2007 8:03 AM:
" Oh this is just great, non-biased reporting. Chris Faulkner can put his little pom poms away now. He calls himself a reporter? No wonder the bigots are having a great time in Iowa with garbage like this being passed off as reporting. And to add to the garbage level the comments area includes comments from anti-Mormons like Wayne Capurro and Frank Kirkman who either have an ax to grind or way too much time on their hands. If this bigotry represents the heartland America is in trouble. "

Peter wrote on Dec 11, 2007 6:46 AM:
" If Rocky Hulse is an expert in the faith of Mormons, then I am the man in the moon. The only thing he's done is take the same old tired anti-mormon rhetoric and repackaged it. I'd like to see some original research - but unfortunately Hulse, like the press, is too busy trying to sell sensationalism to make a few dollars while praying on the emotions of people. The bible says that in the last days we would "call evil good and good, evil." Sounds like we are there! "

Frank Kirkman wrote on Dec 10, 2007 9:43 PM:
" In response to Mr. Teare’s message posted on 12/10/2007 1:30pm: “Mormons are held to highest ethical and historical standard” is an absolute joke. The shooting and robbing of over 120 unarmed men, women and children by cowardly Mormons dressed as Indians is “ethical”? Then leaving their stripped naked bodies for the wolves and vultures because they wanted the US Army to believe that the Paiute Indians had done the robbing and killing of the richest wagon train to ever pass through the area. The Mormon Church is writing a book on the Mountain Meadows Massacre and they have been going back and forth on who to blame this time? The cover-up of the Mountain Meadows Massacre by the Prophets (Young though Hinckley) of the LDS corporation isn’t what I would call the highest historical standards. Lying for the lord is of course considered part of the “highest ethical and historical standard”. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 10, 2007 9:40 PM:
" May I respond to Brad Teare 12/10/07 10:48 AM & 12/10/07 1:30 pm. Accurately reporting what Mormon scripture and Mormon leaders say doesn't make one anti-Mormon; it makes me a reporter. You haven't read the book, yet you are able to label it as "tabloid journalism." Do you work for the Psychic Channel? Your recounting of Utah history contradicts history reported by anyone except the Mormon Church. It's obvious you single source your opinions. Your condescending remarks about Protestants knowing more about Mormonism than Mormons do is because you only get your information from what the Mormon Church wants you to know. Protestants multi-source, research and compare; perhaps you could learn a lesson. Could my use of Xulon Press be that they are the largest Christian Publisher in the country? Perhaps, I also published through them because I finished the book the second week of September and only Xulon could guarantee 6-8 weeks to publish instead of waiting months and months to get through publisher red tape and committees - naw, you're a psychic, it must be my vanity. Get the book and accurately refute it Brad, instead of just launching personal attacks without any knowledge of the book. "

Rocky Hulse wrote on Dec 10, 2007 8:30 PM:
" May I respond to Alan's comment of 12/9/07 8:06 AM. The book isn't a hoax Alan. Staff writer Chris Faulkner points out in the article that the book is "doctrinal statements and proclamations from actual Mormon sources." So read the book and respond to the facts instead of berate what you haven't read. Have you ever held an elected political office? The quotes from Mormon leaders in the book clearly state the Mormon Church belief that meddling in civic affairs is proper "protocol" for Mormon Prophets. "

Frank Kirkman wrote on Dec 10, 2007 7:56 PM:
" I am related to over twenty victims of one of the Mormons heinous crimes the Mountain Meadows Massacre and I have a question for Mr. Teare. Where in Mr. Hulse’s book do you find tabloid journalism? Mr. Teare, must have his head in the sand thinking there was only “one heinous crime” committed in Mormon history. What about Joseph Smith’s Danites (Secret Police) in Missouri and Nauvoo were they out doing mission work? What about the castration of the young member of the Manti Ward by its Bishop? There are plenty more my Mormon friend! I think Mr. Teare is very either very naïve or is blinded by his loyalty to his CULT. "

Brad Teare wrote on Dec 10, 2007 1:30 PM:
" So far most comments by protestants have been condescending along the lines of "Mormons are good people BUT... they are deceived, protestants know more about Mormonism than Mormons do", etc. I guess to some protestants there is no such things as a disgruntled person with an ax to grind. Every anti-Mormon is given the benefit of the doubt, yet Mormons are held to the highest ethical and historical standard. Incidentally, the book Hulse wrote is from a "Christian" book-on-demand publisher which means that his ideas were not reviewed or edited by any publisher. Such publishing is much more akin to vanity publishing. For the record Mormons are collectively the highest educated of all American religions and have a higher likelihood of devotion the more education they have. This runs counter to almost all other religions. The allegation that Mormons do not know about objections some protestants raise against the church is complete nonsense. The only difference between me and anti-Mormons is that I keep our history in balance with the excesses of protestantism. I wish more protestants could follow that example. "

Vicki wrote on Dec 10, 2007 12:09 PM:
" Sorry, I haven't read the book,yet. However, I am anxious to have a better understanding of Mormonism in the public arena, past and present. I have Mormon friends, who will not read anything but 'faith promoting' materials that are authored by LDS members. They are even critical of LDS members, who do unbias research on LDS history and doctrine....and also, comments and teachings by past LDS Authorities !! I guess thats why they are 'so thankful for a living prophet, today;' to help clear up the confusion. I love my Mormon friends and non-Mormon friends. And, am thankful for people like Rocky and Helen, who are in a position that exposes them to persecution in order to educate and minister to them with the love of Christ. God bless you. "

Wayne A. Capurro wrote on Dec 10, 2007 11:42 AM:
" Rocky is the best spokesman out there to deal with whether Mormonism should be an issue in this presidential election. If Mitt Romney were a Muslim, we wouldn't be so squeamish about asking deep and probing questions about the influence of his religion. They didn't refer to Joseph Smith, Jr. as the American Mohammed for nothing. No one, Mormon, Muslim, Baptist, Catholic, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist or Atheist should expect to keep their faith off limits when it comes to seeking the position of "most powerful person on the face of the earth". We should expect more from our journalists than an abdication of their responsibility to vet the motives, aspirations and foundations which likely form the basis for these candidate's decisionmaking. Mr. Hulse is a man who has seen both sides, is articulate and has much of importance to say. Buy his book and read it. "

Brad Teare wrote on Dec 10, 2007 10:48 AM:
" Wow! Who ever guessed that anti-Mormonism is so fervently embraced by modern day Nauvoo citizens. Incidentally, I doubt Rocky Hulse is an expert on anything no matter how many foot notes he may have in his book. Tabloid journalism is still tabloid journalism. There was one incident of a heinous crime in all of Mormon history and that was in the context of a declared war against Utah Territory, certainly a low point in Protestant history. I wish writers like Hulse used the same standard when judging Mormonism as they do Protestantism. "

Frank Kirkman wrote on Dec 10, 2007 9:45 AM:
" Rocky Hulse knows more about the Mormon religion than 99% of the members of the 60 billion dollar corporation do. Alan’s remarks are typical of most members of his cult. Alan I am sure is a very good person, neighbor and helping individual but he needs to read the book as he would be shocked to find out how bizarre his cults beliefs are. Alan is no different than a Mormon President; they will both follow the cult leadership without question. "

Ron Wright wrote on Dec 9, 2007 10:27 PM:
" Rocky Hulse is an expert on Mormonism and the inner workings of the LDS. This book is a part of his crusade to help Mormons everywhere find the light of real Christiandom and move away from the second largest cult in the world. It is well worth reading and deep thought for every Mormon or Christian who is apathetic to the political world engulfing us. "

Alan wrote on Dec 9, 2007 8:06 AM:
" What nonsense! This book reminds me of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a anti-semitic hoax. Scary. I have been a Mormon for 35 years and the most my priesthood leaders have asked me to do is to serve others unselfishly. For example, once we helped a single mom insulate her home for winter. Often we help people move. I hope to move to Ft Madison when I retire and hope to be a good neighbor and have good neighbors, whatever religion they say they believe. "

dan holman wrote on Dec 7, 2007 7:04 PM:
" Rocky Hulse understands the dangers of having a Mormon president ruling over America. Few people know and understand what Mormons believe. The clean-cut, well mannered, sharply dressed image Mormons publicly portray hide a dark side of bizaar beliefs. Mormonisms founder had many wives. Joseph Smith and his brother were killed by the relatives of these beguiled women. They ran the Mormons out of Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa not because of their religion, but because of Mormonism practices. Thank God for men like Rocky Hulse who inform and who warn us of the dangers of this cult. "

Mountain Meadows - Descendants Have No Funerary Rights

2007-11-12T19:38:00.001-08:00

Rocky Hulse interviews Mountain Meadows Monument Foundation Members in 2007 on "Truth Outreach" International Televison program regarding Stewardship at the Mountain Meadows Massacre site. In this interview Rocky focuses on Scott Fancher's version of descendants rights at the Mountain Meadows Burial Site. The show was taped on August 7, 2007 in Quincy, Illinois

Captain Fanchers Destination

2007-11-07T20:03:00.001-08:00

Clint Olivier of KMPH TV FOX NEWS Channel 26 Fresno California, Interviews Frank and Diane
Kirkman, Frank is the grear-great-great grandson of John Fancher the brother and business partner of Captain Alexander Fancher, who lead the ill fated wagon train that was robbed and massacred by Mormons on September 11, 1857 in Mountain Meadows, Utah.

Mountain Meadow Massacre Memmorial Service 9-11-07

2007-11-02T22:16:00.001-07:00

A very sad moment in U.S. History. The Fancher/Baker Party Wagon Train set out from Arkansas to California, taking the Old Spanish Trail headed toward San Bernardino, they made their way through the Utah Territory. At a time of unrest in the Utah territory, rich with livestock and personal property, they were ambushed and killed. In a queit valley East of now Cedar City Utah, a Mormon militia by deception led 120 unarmed innocent men, women and children to their death, taking possesions and surviving children, who were under 8 years old, the Mormon age of accountability. On 9-11-07 the LDS Church offered a regret, not an apology for a 150 year denial and revision of history that the church had made to cover this event in history ordered by the Mormon Brethren.

ISLAM & MORMONISM

2007-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

ISLAM & MORMONISM:
REMARKABLE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO
Dr. Paul J. Weathers, Th.B., M.A. Apol., Litt.D.

At first glance the religions of Islam and Mormonism
appear to be very different from each other. The
culture and doctrines are in sharp contrast to each
other. Islamic customs and attire are each very much
in line with what has been common in traditional
Islamic countries since the 7th century. 1 Conversely,
Mormons dress no differently than other westerners,
and their customs generally draw no unusual
attention.Islam believes in one God - Allah, 2 while
Mormons believe in many gods. 3

On the basis of these sharp differences, one might be
surprised and perhaps skeptical regarding the
assertion that there are remarkable parallels between
these two religions.While a casual observer will
notice few similarities between the customs and
doctrines of these two religions, the parallels become
abundantly clear upon a closer look.

Literature from both religions indicate that each were
started by a "prophet" who began his career searching
for the true religion. Both prophets were concerned
about the different sects or denominations within
Christianity. 4 In both cases, the founding "prophet"
wasn't educated. Mohammed is thought by many to
have been illiterate, 5 while Joseph Smith received
little education.6

Both Islam and Mormonism were started by alleged
"angelic" revelation; in which there are conflicting
versions: four conflicting versions of Mohammed and
nine conflicting versions of Joseph Smith. The
official versions indicate that it was the angel
Gabriel who appeared to Mohammed, while the Mormon
prophet Joseph Smith was visited by the angel Moroni
subsequent to his visit by God the Father and Jesus
Christ. 7

In both cases these "prophets" received extra-biblical
revelation which clearly contradicted the Bible. Both
Mohammed and Joseph Smith taught the concept of a
total falling away from the truth. 8 InMohammed's
case, he was sent as the last prophet to redeem a
fallen people. 9 In Joseph Smith's case, he was
ordained as a prophet to restore the truth. 10

In sharp contrast to the paleographical evidence and
of textural critics, 11 Islam and Mormonism both teach
that the Bible as we accept it today has been
corrupted. 12

Both religions accept four books as scripture. Islam
accepts the Torah of Moses, The Psalms of David, the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Quran.13 Mormonism
accepts the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, The
Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible with the
stipulation, "insofar as it is correctly translated."
14 Both religions make very similar statements about
the credibility of their extra-biblical scripture
books [The Quran and the Book of Mormon]; in
particular the challenge to duplicate a book like
theirs - if it isn't scripture. 15 In both religions,
there is strong evidence which shows that portions of
their extra scripture books were copied from earlier
documents, 16 and in both religions their extra
scripture books contradict the Bible. 17

The founders of Islam and Mormonism also have much in
common. Both Mohammed and Joseph Smith were involved
in polygamy. 18 They were both involved in military
type activity; Mohammed known as the prophet with the
sword, and Joseph Smith once being the "Lieutenant
general" of a two thousand man militia. 19 Both
Mohammed and Joseph Smith gave prophecies which proved
to be false, and like many others having
extra-biblical revelation, both Mohammed and Joseph
Smith received revelations which contradicted previous
ones from time to time. 20
Even though many other parallels could be cited, the
aforementioned ones are presented here as evidence
that more than coincidence is at work in both Islam
and Mormonism.
Upon studying these uncanny parallels a reasonable
person might ask: Is it possible that both prophets
received their revelation from the same source? Is it
possible that both Mohammed and Joseph Smith
experienced what the apostle Paul warned about in many
passages?

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 "But I am afraid that just as
Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds
may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure
devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and
preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached , or
if you receive a different spirit from the one you
received, or a different gospel from the one you
accepted, you put up with it easily enough."

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 "And no wonder, for Satan
himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not
surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as
servants of righteousness. . . "

Galations 1:6-9 "I am astonished that you are so
quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace
of Christ and are turning to a different gospel -
which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some
people are throwing you into confusion and are trying
to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an
angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than
the one we preached to you, let him be eternally
condemned! As we have already said, so now I say
again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other
than what you accepted, let him be eternally
condemned!"

A VALID TEST TO DETERMINE
TRUTH FROM ERROR

It was the same apostle Paul who commanded the early
church to "Test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21); exactly
what is needed when one considers the assertions and
teachings of Mohammed and Joseph Smith. A valid and
consistent test or reference point is necessary in
order to determine truth from error, regardless of
what religion, doctrine, or prophet is the subject in
question.

One cannot say that something is in error unless they
have an instrument, standard, or reference point from
which to determine truth first. Once truth is
established, the error becomes obvious! An impartial
jury cannot make an objective decision unless they
have a valid reference point from which to test the
evidence. They must be familiar with such pertinent
information as the law, what evidence is admissible,
and how to logically examine the facts. Without such a
valid reference point from which to determine truth
from error, nothing may be determined with any degree
of certainty. Those who attempt to determine truth
from error without a valid reference point are very
much like a person adrift on a boat in the sea and a
deep fog. They are lost because they have no valid
reference point from which to determine truth from
error! 21

As we approach Islam and Mormonism with the
aforementioned information in mind, it is logical to
begin with the question; "What is this valid test,
reference point, or standard from which to determine
truth from error?"

Suppose we were on that above described boat which was
adrift in the sea and a deep fog. The valid test,
reference point, or standard needed in that situation
would be such things as a compass, a map, and some
knowledge of where on the map we might be. In
spiritual situations, we need something which is just
as dependable; a "spiritual" map and compass!

After examining the evidence, a logical and objective
person will conclude that the Bible meets the standard
for such dependability. The science of textural
criticism has provided conclusive evidence that the
Bible has been translated in a highly accurate manner.
22

The external evidences of fulfilled prophecy together
with scientific and historical consistency are also
factors in this conclusion.

In answer to the earlier question: The valid test,
reference point, and standard from which to determine
truth from error is the Bible; the inspired Word of
God! This is the major test in spiritual matters.
Other tests may also be used including the tests of
logic and internal consistency; tests which the God of
the universe would never object to.

The Bible antedates Mohammed and Joseph Smith. The
Bible antedates the Quran and the Book of Mormon. The
Bible also antedates many other books which are
considered by many to be scripture including, Science
& Health with Key to the Scriptures [Christian
Science], and The Divine Principal [Unification
Church].

Shouldn't the same valid tests be applied to any
supposed new revelation which was supposedly inspired
by the same God? Shouldn't we judge any new revelation
by what God has already said?
These valid questions were included at the historic
counsels of Hippo and Carthage at which time the
Church excluded from the canon of scripture any books
which failed these tests. With these factors in mind,
we should ask our Islamic and Mormon friends questions
like the following:

"Would the Quran or the book of Mormon pass the tests
required by the counsels of Carthage and Hippo?"23 "If
these books had been considered along with the
accepted New Testament books; Would they have been
excluded or included in the canon of scripture?"

TESTING ISLAM AND MORMONISM
BY SCRIPTURE

Since the Bible is the word of God which has been
accurately translated and which antedates Islam and
Mormonism; it is logical to first test these religions
by scripture. Since each were supposedly founded upon
new revelations, these revelations must not contradict
the Bible which is the older revelation. This test is
as logical as it is scriptural.

In Jeremiah 28, the prophet Hananiah gave a prophecy
which contradicted earlier revelations. As a result of
this, he was immediately excluded as a true prophet of
God. This same test was used by the Bereans in Acts
17:11 and alluded to by Paul in 1 Thess. 5:21.

Another test is the logical test of evidence. If
Mohammed and Joseph Smith were representing the true
God - their revelation will be historically and
scientifically consistent, and their revelations will
not run contrary to the evidence.

As we apply these tests to Islam and Mormonism, we may
effectively witness to our Islamic and Mormon friends
since both religions may be examined and refuted by
the same methodology.

Before we begin testing Islam and Mormonism, an
important point must be emphasized. When witnessing to
our Islamic and Mormon friends, it isn't necessary to
discuss everything or to refute everything.
A sufficient amount of foundations must be refuted so
that the religion can no longer stand without them.

Once the religion in question has no basis upon which
to stand, it will fall regardless of whether or not
additional evidence is presented. In some cases only
one point needs to be demonstrated for an effective
refutation.

When Mohammed and Joseph Smith are tested by
scripture, the same problem emerges very early in
their respective prophetic careers. They each began
their career with a revelation which directly
contradicted scripture:

Mohammed taught that he was the last prophet sent to
redeem a fallen people; a doctrine which presupposed
that the true religion was lost and had to be
restored. Joseph Smith taught that there had been a
complete falling away from the true religion, which
consequently had to be restored.

In contrast to the doctrine of a total falling away
from the true religion, Jesus Christ taught that after
he established the true church, not even the gates of
hell would overcome it [Matthew 16:18]. He also taught
that his apostles would bear "fruit that would last."
[John 15:16].

Jude taught that the true religion had been "once and
for all entrusted to the saints" [Jude 3]. In other
words it would never be lost and need to be restored.
Jesus Christ, again in the Book of Revelation promised
the Church at Philadelphia that he had set before them
"an open door, and no one can shut it." [Revelation
3:8]. Clearly, the teachings of Mohammed and Joseph
Smith of a total falling away from the truth, and of
the need for a restoration are doctrines which are in
direct conflict with the Bible - the older revelation.

In addition to the problem of contradicting scripture,
the total apostacy & restoration doctrines of Islam
and Mormonism are also in direct conflict with church
history. While the record is abundant with apostacies
and heresies which were refuted by the church, the
record is clear that there was never a complete
apostacy. 24

Another problem relating to the restoration teachings
of Islam and Mormonism is this: If either Islam or
Mormonism is the true religion which once existed, was
lost and needed to be restored; there should be some
evidence that the religion in question once existed
somewhere in history prior to its' "restoration" by
either Mohammed or Joseph Smith. The historical record
is clear that prior to Mohammed and Joseph Smith,
neither of these religions existed as such.

In response our Muslim friends may point out that
there were worshipers of Allah during and prior to the
time of Mohammed, and our Mormon friends may point to
similarities between some ancient religions and modern
Mormonism.

Our Muslim friends must recognize the fact that the
"Allah" [who was worshipped prior to, and during the
time of Mohammed] was the Moon God of Mecca rather
than the God of the Bible. Those who worshipped Allah
did so along with many other gods. While there is no
doubt that Mohammed derived many of his ideas from the
Allah worship of his day and before, there is no
evidence that the actual Islamic religion as founded
by Mohammed ever existed before the time of Mohammed.
25

Our Mormon friends must recognize that the
similarities between Mormonism and some ancient
religions are so general that they don't support the
conclusion that Mormonism ever existed prior to the
time of Joseph Smith. What Mormons really need to
support their position is evidence!
Where are the ruins of the ancient Mormon temples?
Where are the remains of the many great battles
described in the Book of Mormon, or the coins
described therein? [and, without attempting to
illogically "read into" the evidence] Where is the
evidence in general that Mormonism ever existed prior
to its founding by Joseph Smith? 26

The revelations of Islam and Mormonism have scientific
problems as well. An example from Islam is the
incident in which Alexander the Great followed the sun
until he found it setting in a muddy pond. 27

An example of scientific inaccuracy in Mormonism is
The Book of Mormon's claim that American Indians are
Jewish, ie: Mediterranean Caucasoid rather than
Mongoloid as anthropologists have classified them
using the genotypical and phenotypical criteria. 28

At this juncture both religions have the same
problems: The initial revelations upon which they were
founded are in contradiction to the Bible, and they
are both purporting to be a restoration of a religion
which never existed. A religion which never existed
cannot be "restored."

Islam and Mormonism teaches that the Bible has been
corrupted. In contrast, the evidence and science of
textural criticism demonstrates that the Bible wasn't
corrupted. On the contrary, the Bible has been
translated in a highly accurate manner. When compared
to other ancient works of antiquity, The New Testament
is the strongest attested document in history! 29

Surely, if Mohammed or Joseph Smith were true prophets
of God, they wouldn't have been wrong about such an
essential doctrine.

The evidence is strong that both Mohammed and Joseph
Smith copied and/or borrowed portions of older
documents to produce the Quran and the Book of Mormon.
In Mohammed's case these earlier documents included
portions of the Bible, Arabian fables, the Jewish
Talmud, and other pre-Islamic sources. 30 In the case
of Joseph Smith, the material in the Book of Mormon
included portions of: the Bible, the Apocrypha, the
Westminster Confession, and two novels by Ethen Smith
which antedated Mormonism: The Ten Tribes of Israel in
America, and View of the Hebrews. 31

It is one thing for a scripture book to quote another
scripture book such as the Bible does, but it is quite
another for the contents of such a book to contain
plagiarism from uninspired and in many cases,
fictional sources.

If Mohammed and Joseph Smith are Biblical prophets,
they must pass the test of 100% accuracy as required
by Deuteronomy 18:20-22, but an examination of their
prophecies shows that they didn't!
Mohammed's "true" prophecies were primarily nothing
more than pre-battle pep talks. Like all leaders in
battle he would predict victory to his troops. On many
occasions his predictions turned out to be true, but
on other occasions his troops were defeated - one time
so badly that Mohammed was almost killed. 32

In Joseph Smith's case his "true" prophecies amount to
information which was in the newspapers at the time;
His "civil war" prophecy for example. In other cases
Smith went far out on a limb, prophesying that the New
Jerusalem would be established in Independence
Missouri within his generation, and that Jesus Christ
would return within 56 years. 33

Mohammed initially prophesied tolerance for other
religions, but later changed his prophecy to
intolerance. 34 Joseph Smith issued revelations which
contradicted previous ones. An example of this is his
revelation that there are many gods.
The Book of Mormon which he said was scripture teaches
that there is only one God. Smith also taught that
unless men practiced polygamy, they could not become a
god while his Book of Mormon condemned the practice of
polygamy. 35

Although many additional problems could be presented,
the aforementioned ones are more than sufficient to
merit the logical conclusion that neither Mohammed nor
Joseph Smith were Biblical prophets.

After examining the evidence, it cannot be honestly
said that either Islam or Mormonism are biblically
consistent religions.

Key Issues to Discuss with our
Islamic and Mormon friends

Prior to meeting with a friend from either of these
religions, it is essential to do your homework first,
and to spend serious time in prayer for the salvation
of your friend. Your dialogue will be much more
effective if you make one subject a key issue.

When meeting with a Muslim, the issues of the
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ are key
issues. These are essential doctrines of Christianity
which are denied by Islam.

The Bible records both the Crucifixion and
Resurrection of Jesus Christ; events which are also
consistent with many historical documents. 36 Once it
is demonstrated that the crucifixion of Christ is an
established fact, our Muslim friends must deal with
the question of how Mohammed could be a prophet of God
and yet contradict scripture and historical evidence
by teaching that Jesus wasn't crucified.

When witnessing to a Mormon friend, the nature of God
is a key subject. Once it is established that the
Bible is the Word of God which has been correctly
translated, the Mormon must deal with the fact that
Joseph Smith taught [as does Mormonism] a completely
different concept of God as does the Bible. The Bible
teaches that there is only one God; that God is
eternal and not a man. The Bible also teaches that God
is "spirit," which according to Jesus Christ, does not
have "flesh and bone."

In contrast to this, Mormonism teaches that their
"God" is an exalted man, who has a body of flesh and
bone, who also had a beginning as a normal man.
Mormonism also teaches that there are many gods. 37

Our Mormon friends must deal with the question of how
Joseph Smith could be a prophet of God while at the
same time so boldly contradicting the Biblical
teaching on the one God.

Common Suggestions for Dialogue with your
Islamic and Mormon friends

When witnessing to your Islamic and Mormon friends,
always begin with establishing the valid tests to
determine truth from error. Establish and agree upon
two facts: (1) The Bible is the Word of God which has
been correctly translated, and (2) Any new revelation
inspired by the same God must not disagree with what
God has already said. Once these have been agreed
upon, begin your dialogue by using an example to
"test" which they can approach objectively.

When witnessing to a Mormon - use the prophet
Mohammed, Islam and the Quran as examples to "test,"
and conversely, when witnessing to a Muslim use Joseph
Smith, Mormonism, and the book of Mormon as an example
to test. It has been my experience that friends from
both religions will usually test the other religion
and discover how it fails the tests. Once they have
agreed that the tests are valid and that the other
religion has failed the test; simply ask: "Since you
have agreed on the validity of the tests and you can
see how this other religion failed these tests; Would
it be acceptable to you to apply these same tests to
your prophet/religion/scripture book?"

You may also be amazed how well these same tests work
when witnessing to friends involved in a variety of
other religions including Christian Science, The
Unification Church, The Way International, and others.
Truth never changes nor do the valid tests to
determine truth. *

FOOTNOTES ISLAM & MORMONISM:
REMARKABLE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE TWO

1 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion
(Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1992
Edition), p. 22.
2 Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today's
Religions
(Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1992 Edition), p. 389.
3 Dr. Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults
(Minneapolis, Minnesota: 1985 Edition), pgs. 200-208.
4 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed (Nashville,
Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988 Edition) p.
52
Joseph Smith, Pearl of Great Price, 2:18, 19.
5 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed ( Nashville,
Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988 Edition) p.
52.
6 George A. Mather and Larry A, Nichols,
Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult
(Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan, 1993 Edition) p. 186.
7 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion , p.
76/Sandra Tanner, The Godmakers Documentary (Hemet,
California:
Jeremiah Films, 1988).
Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed, p.
52-54/Joseph Smith, History, (Salt Lake City, Utah:
Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints) verses 1-75.
8 Dr. Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults
(Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers,
1985 Edition)
p. 170-172.
9 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed, p. 54.
10 Joseph Smith, History, verses 1-75.
11 Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, (San Bernardino,
California: Here's Life Publishers. 1992 Edition) pgs.
42-55.
12 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion , p.
135/ Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 13:26-27.
Orson Pratt's Works, 1891, p. 218
13 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed , p. 30.
14 Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today's
Religions (Nashville, Tennessee: Nelson, 1992 Edition)
p. 68.
15 The Quran, Surah 10, p. 67; Surah 11, p.
132/Doctrine and Covenants 67:4, 6-8.
16 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion , p.
148-151/Dr. Ruth Tucker, Another Gospel (Grand Rapids,
Michigan:
Zondervan, 1989 Edition) p. 56-57.
17 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion , p.
133-142.
Dr. Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism
audio tape (CRI, San Juan, Capistrano, California).

18 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed , pgs.
61-66/Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, Second
Edition
(New York, NY: Borzoi Books, 1971 Edition)
pgs. 334-347.
19 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed , p 77/Fawn
M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, pgs., 270-271.
20 Dr. Norman Geisler, audio tape: Is Mohammed a
Prophet of God? (Clayton, California: Powerhouse
Tapes).
Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion ,
pgs. 145-147.
Dr. Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism
audio tape (CRI, San Juan, Capistrano, California).

21 Angel of Light, video tape (Mars Hill
Productions).
22 Josh McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict,
Volumes 1 and 2
(San Bernardino, California: Here's Life
Publishers).
23 Eerdman's Handbook to the History of
Christianity (Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1977 Edition,
pgs. 89-95; 106, 197.
24 ibid , pgs. xi-xxiv
25 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion ,
pgs. 57-65.
26 Sandra Tanner, The Godmakers Documentary,
Jeremiah Films.
27 The Koran: Sura 18:85-86
28 Dr. Walter Martin, Kingdom of the Cults,
185-186.
29 Josh McDowell, A Ready Defense, pgs 42-48.
30 Dr. Robert A. Morey, The Islamic Invasion ,
pgs. 147-151.
31 Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History, pgs.
46-49; 58; 72.
Dr. Ruth Tucker, Another Gospel , p. 56-57.
32 Dr. Norman Geisler, audio tape: Is Mohammed a
Prophet of God?
33 Doctrine & Covenants, Section 87; 84:1-5,
31-33/Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse, September
1832
History of the Church 2:182.
34 Dr. Norman Geisler, audio tape: Is Mohammed a
Prophet of God?
35 Dr. Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism audio
tape.
36 Dr. Anis Shorrosh, Islam Revealed , pgs.
107-137.
37 Joseph Smith, History of the Church
6:305-306; King Follett Discourse, as recorded in the
"Times and Seasons" on August 1, 1844.

Paul, we would like thank you for the above inforamation and your permission to post it.

Lying for the Lord?

2007-10-18T21:37:00.001-07:00

Answer the right question?
Don't answer the question that was asked but the one that should have been ask!
Put on your dark suits and ties...get out there give them milk, not meat and lie for the Lord!

Mormon Prophet John Taylor's HORRIFIC, RACIST Teachings!!

2007-10-18T15:35:00.001-07:00

The "I Don't Know" Mormon Prophet speaks again and the flicks of Mormon History just rolls on in their censored faith promoting agenda!

Gordon B. Hinckley the "I Don't Know" Mormon Prophet

2007-10-18T15:08:00.000-07:00

President Gordon B. Hinckley Goes to Mountain Meadows
"I Don't Know" Prophet
Denies Church was Involved

SOURCE: Idaho Statesman, 9/13/99, p. 10B

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said he came "as a peacemaker" to speak at a ceremony Saturday dedicating a monument at the site of the Mountain Meadows massacre.

Settlers from Arkansas, bound for California, were killed after a five-day siege by Mormon Militia members and their Paiute allies on Sept. 11, 1857.

After being offered a truce, all the members of the wagon train, except those younger than 8 years old, were killed.

Many had hoped Hinckley's attendance would help close the chasm that has existed between descendants of those in the Fancher Party and The Church of Jesus Christ of batter-day Saints.
Hinckley said no one can fully understand what happened.
"I come as a peacemaker. This is not a time for recrimination or the assigning of blame," he said at the ceremony that was broadcast to LDS Church buildings in Utah and Arkansas.
"No one can explain what happened in these meadows 142 years ago. We may speculate, but we do not know," Hinckley said. "We do not understand it. We cannot comprehend it. We can only say that the past is long since gone."

The bones of more than 30 victims were unearthed last month as crews prepared the new monument.

The state and descendants of the victims and their assailants installed a plaque Thursday at the site in the Dixie National Forest about 25 miles north of St. George.

The bones were put into a burial vault at the same location in a private service conducted by a Baptist minister from Arkansas who is married to a victim's relative.

Hinckley said the church was not involved in the killings, and, "That which we have done here must never be construed as an acknowledgment on the part of the church of any complicity in the occurrences of that fateful and tragic day."

Beautiful Nauvoo: Where Joseph Smith is the Superstar

2007-10-03T20:31:00.001-07:00

Why is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so afraid of in the handouts "Nauvoo Past and Present" shown on this video being handed out by from the Chrisitan Visitors Center?
This is total mind control that the Priesthood leaders would send out young Mormon boys and girls to take the material from those atttending the Nauvoo Pageant 2007.

SEPTEMBER DAWN FORCES LDS CHURCH TO ADMIT GUILT

2007-10-01T16:47:00.001-07:00

Did the Mormon Church admit to guilt because of the release of the movie "September Dawn"?

NO, they will never do that.

They have an agenda, an agenda that is difficult to see until it is too late!

On September 11, 2007 Mormon Apostle Henry B. Eyring at Mountain Meadows in Southwestern Utah said "We regret..." that in no way admits their guilt in the cold blooded massacre by Mormon Priesthood of 120 unarmed innocent men, women and children that were on the Fancher/Baker wagon train on September 11, 1857 traveling to California from Arkansas.

MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE HORROR CONTINUES 150 YEARS LATER!

2007-08-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

VIEW FROM THE NAUVOO CHRISTIAN VISITORS CENTER

By ROCKY HULSE

“MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE HORROR CONTINUES 150 YEARS LATER”

As we approach September 11th, Americans everywhere will reflect on the tragic event of that day in 2001; however, we had more than one terrible tragedy that happened on September 11th. As a nation, we are all aware of the horror of 9/11/2001; but few are aware of the horror of the First September 11th. Known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, this horrific event happened September 11, 1857. On that tragic September day, 120 innocent men, women, and children were brutally murdered by as many as 100 Mormon men under direct orders from their Priesthood leadership.

A very rich wagon train from Arkansas consisting of about 140 people, 1,000 head of cattle, 200 horses, 40 wagons and thousands of dollars in gold was attacked, looted and left with but 17 survivors, all 7 years of age or less. Historian Will Bagley has made the historical connection through the diary of Dimmick Huntington, Indian Interpreter and brother-in-law of Brigham Young, that Brother Brigham ordered the attack by telling the Indian Chiefs they could have the cattle if they would attack the train. The Indians did attack the wagon train on September 6th; however, the seasoned pioneers put up a staunch fight after being surprised and suffering some casualties.

The Indians withdrew under the superior firepower of the pioneers. With the Indians failing to do their part, the Mormon leaders met in Parowan and came up with a heinous plot. Under the direction of Stake President Isaac Haight, and Bishop William Dame the Commander of the Iron County Militia (a remnant of the Nauvoo Legion), Bishop John D. Lee rode into the siege encampment of the pioneers with a white truce flag. He told the pioneers that the Indians had agreed to allow the Mormons to rescue the pioneers and take them to safety if they would lay down their arms. Believing the Mormons to be their deliverers, they did. The wounded and children seven years of age and under were put into two separate wagons; the children’s wagon was driven by Samuel McMurdy, 1st Counselor in the Cedar Ward. The women and remaining children were then led out first. With a quarter mile spacing between them, the unarmed men were then led out escorted with an armed Mormon guard. Once clear of the encampment and out in the open, Nauvoo Legion Maj. John Higbee, 1st Counselor to Stake President Haight, gave the order: “Halt, do your duty.” The Mormon escort guards turned and gunned down at point blank range the men. At the sound of gunfire, Indians and Saints disguised as Indians came from ambush positions and clubbed, stabbed, and shot to death the women and children. The wounded in the wagon were shot at point blank range.

Only the seventeen children were spared because “they were too young to tell the tale,” and Mormon Doctrine states there is no forgiveness for the shedding of innocent blood (children under the age of eight). The children were doled out to Mormon homes and two years later when they were recovered by the Indian Agent, Forney, the Mormon Church billed the Federal Government for room and board. Authorization was made for payment to those who killed their parents in the sum of $2,961.77. Brevet Major Carleton, of the First Dragoons, who first found the killing field in Mountain Meadows, said of this payment: “Has there ever been an act which at all equaled this in devilish hardihood, in more than devilish effrontery? Never, but one: and even then the price was but “30 pieces of silver.”” (Mountain Meadows Massacre, Special Report, 57th Congress 1st Session, House of Representatives, Document No. 605).

The horror of this event lives on today. The Mormon Church refuses to acknowledge any complicity in the wretched event. What is even worse, they have purchased all the land in the area of the killings. Four mass graves still hold the remains of these innocent people. The descendants have tried for years to be granted access to these mass graves to properly honor and bury their dead; HOWEVER, THE MORMON CHURCH REFUSES TO ALLOW THEM THIS SIMPLE ACT OF DECENCY.

How is this possible in 2007? There is no question that the Mormon Priesthood ordered this massacre, and the Mormon Church will not allow the families to properly bury their dead. The descendants of these people petitioned the Mormon Church in 1999 for Federal Stewardship of this area so that they could access the graves and properly honor their dead. They were refused. In the Spring of 2007 another request was made; again denial. Mormon Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley said, “it’s not in the best interests of the church to allow federal stewardship in the meadows.” Phil Bolinger, President of the Mountain Meadows Monument Foundation, meeting with Mormon representative, Marlin Jensen on April 25th said, “It’s not right for the people who had complicity to the killings to be the grave owner.” He followed up with a sage question, “I asked him, ‘How do you think the Kennedy family would feel if the Lee Harvey Oswald family had control of the Kennedy tomb?”

I thought the Mormon Church was all about families. I guess they’re not if they killed them! This most despicable act in American history lives on by the Mormon Church thumbing its nose at the descendants of those its Priesthood killed.

I interviewed four of the descendants of this massacre on our TV show “Truth Outreach.” The first of three programs will air on WTJR Ch 16 (Mon 8:30 pm, Tues 1:30 pm, Wed 10:00 pm) from Quincy, the week of August 19th; the second program the week of August 26th; the third the week of September 2nd. These programs were hard to film—they’ll be hard to watch; this is a horrid tale that needs to be told.

If you want to right one of the WORST WRONGS in American history, stop by the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center—we are collecting signatures on petitions demanding the Mormon Church to turn this killing field over to the Federal Government so the families can properly inter their dead. Only the angry outcry of the American public will force the Mormon Church to do the right thing. Tell everyone you know about this!

If you wish to write a letter demanding release of Mountain Meadows, send it to:

Marlin Jensen, LDS CHURCH, 35 North West Temple St.,Salt Lake City, UT 84150. You may call and complain to the LDS Church: Tom Owen 801-240-1000. Call Senator Durbin: 202-224-2152; Senator Obama: 202-224-2854; Representative Hare: 202-225-5905. Get involved, you can make a difference to right this ugly wrong!!

A view I wish I didn’t have to write from the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center.

More Mormon Proof for the Book of Mormon

2007-08-15T21:41:00.001-07:00

For you edification?!?!? I trust it just strengthens your testimony in Mormonism.

Beautiful Nauvoo: Where Joseph Smith is the Superstar

2007-08-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

Is it possible for those in the Mormon Church to think for themselves? You decide after viewing this video.

Nauvoo Pageant 2007

2007-07-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Nauvoo Pageant 2007...Just Who is Jane Elizabeth Manning?

Joseph Smith’s faithful servant...is it possible that what you see in the Nauvoo pageant here this summer is not just what it appears?

Joseph Smith, Afterlife Slaveowner...Could this be true?

There is a whole sad story out there about Jane Elizabeth Manning James, a devout Mormon woman of color denied the “blessings” of the religion she was loyal to, but just what is it?

If you have come to Nauvoo and watched the Nauvoo pageant have you wondered why Jane walked to Nauvoo? It was because white Mormons would not allow her to ride with them or assist her in paying for passage. And once she arrived in Nauvoo the Beautiful, that “Zion on the Mississippi,” she was either rebuffed or ignored by her fellow Saints, until finally someone pointed out Joseph Smith’s home to her. Once she finally did meet Smith, he made Jane his house servant, and when Smith was murdered in 1844, Brigham Young then took in Jane James as his servant as well. Despite her faithful service to the church and its wealthy presidents, she lived most of her life in abject poverty. She arrived in the new Zion of Utah among the first of the Saints in September 1847, the first free black woman in the territory, only to find that slavery was already being practiced there. Mormon Apostle Charles C. Rich owned slaves in Utah, which must have been a great trial of her faith. The only Western State or Territory to practice slavery was Utah.

She wished to be “sealed” to her loved ones for all eternity just like the white-skinned members of the congregation were allowed to be. For all of her sacrifice, the highest eternal blessing the Mormon church could offer Joseph Smith’s former house servant was to “seal” her to Joseph Smith as his servant forever.

“The words recited at this ceremony were that she was “to be attached as a Servitor for eternity to the prophet Joseph Smith and in this capacity be connected with his family and be obedient to him in all things in the Lord as a faithful Servitor.” In essence, an eternal slave, bound to service a white master for eternity.”

“On April 1, 2005, members of the Genesis Group, along with members of the Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation (MMFF) and others, joined together in the Salt Lake Cemetery (where Jane was laid to rest in 1908) to honor this faithful pioneer sister and to dedicate the Jane Manning James monument”.

“In the dedicatory prayer, Elder Morrison said, ‘Jane wore out her life in patient humble service to others. May this be a sacred place–a place of peace and contentment, a place where generations may come to contemplate the goodness of a humble, faithful, compassionate soul.’”

Eternal servitude… just the ticket for one who “wore out her life”.

For anyone who might watch this pageant, do some research on just what is being put forth...there is more to the story than what is on stage. Racism promoted and advocated by God's direct oracles on earth - Mormon Prophets and Apostles. Jane's story really is sad and is a despicable display of racism.

Hate Continues From Utah..

2007-07-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

My answer to the hate: Lynell,

Read through what you just sent again. Your eyes are so blinded to the Word of God, that you are not able to see that you just contradicted yourself. May Jesus who is God (not just a god, your older brother) the One who came to forgive and die for your sins and mine, open your eyes to His truth someday.

Your words are so filled with hatred that you can do nothing more, than call us names?

May you come to know Jehovah-Shalom the God of peace one day. May you see that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and ask Him for forgiveness of your sins.

Her answer to me:
So, exactly what do you think went on in the Garden? So what do you think that it means when the Savior took upon him the sins and sufferings of the world and bled from every pore? What exactly do you think dying on the cross means. I believe the account in the Bible, we as Mormons teach it!!!!!!!!!!!!!He died on the cross for ALL of us. You both are the haters!!! You tell untruths about what we believe. Stop the hating Rocky and Helen.

More Hate...From Utah

2007-07-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

As a Mormon, I must clear up your claims that we do not believe that Christ died on the cross for our sins. We believe literally in the account in the Bible. He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsamane and bled from every pore, and was taken and crucified on the cross as the final act of atonement.

You Rocky and Helen are liars to the core!!!

You will account for your sins someday.

Mormon Hinckley Does Not

2007-05-18T21:09:00.001-07:00

We believe we know, that's miracle of it, yes, I do!

Gordon Hinckley on Why Blacks Were Denied the LDS Priesthood

2007-05-18T21:07:00.001-07:00

Lying? You decide...

Anti Mormon ?

2007-05-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Tribune article about the NCVC showed up in Deseret News (online) today. Thought you might want to know. I find this interesting that there is a picture of the Nauvoo temple and all the photos in the original Chicago Tribune article are left out, but then that's the Mormon way...just the part of the story that is faith promoting!
Wouldn't want any Mormon to see the Nauvoo Christian Vistiors Center, Rocky and Helen or the billboard that says "Defending Christinity From Mormon Doctrine."

Deseret Morning News, Monday, May 14, 2007

Anti-LDS evangelists rile Nauvoo faithful

By E.A. Torriero
Chicago Tribune

NAUVOO, Ill. — Towering over a Mississippi River bluff, the recently built Mormon temple symbolizes the central role this town played in Mormon history.

The LDS temple in Nauvoo, Ill. Nauvoo is a hallowed place for Mormons, who settled the town in 1839.

Deseret Morning News Archives
And the arrival of two Christian evangelists from the Chicago area, proclaiming an anti-Mormonism message to the world, recalls the troubled history of those early Mormons with neighbors of other faiths.

Operating from a white stucco storefront called the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center, Rocky Hulse, a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Helen, are bent on portraying Mormonism as a false religion with fabricated histories.

And though the Christian Visitors Center predates their arrival, the Hulses have taken its confrontational message to a new level, with an active public presence and a weekly television show broadcast internationally on a Christian network.

It's no wonder, locals say, the Hulses are facing blowback.

The couple reported they had received two veiled written threats late last year. Then, two days before Christmas, the couple received an e-mail that was traced to an address in Utah.

"id love to watch you all die," it read, "then witness the looks on your faces when you realize how stupid and counterproductive your fight really was."

Shaken, the Hulses installed deadbolts on their doors and floodlights around their storefront. They began checking their car's gas cap for any sign of tampering. And they called police, triggering an investigation from Nauvoo to Utah.

"This town is to the Mormons what Mecca is for the Muslims," Helen Hulse said. "Of course they don't want us here."

Mormon leaders scoff at any suggestion of conspiracy. Still, they have a dim view of the Hulses' work.

"It ought to be called a non-Christian center or anti-Mormon center," said Bishop David Wright, a top LDS Church leader in Nauvoo. "I don't see anything Christian about it."

Nauvoo is a hallowed place for Mormons, who settled the town in 1839. Their prophet, Joseph Smith, received his last revelations here, where the first great temple was built and temple rituals were instituted. Smith was killed by locals nearby in 1844, and within two years, the main body of believers had begun heading west in search of a home beyond the reach of their persecutors.

The largest descendant church, the LDS Church, has spent millions in recent years on the temple and shrines to Smith. It created a budding Mormon renaissance in this town of 1,100 residents, 270 miles southwest of Chicago, that rankles some locals.

The tensions in Nauvoo, which Smith named after an Old Testament verse describing beautiful mountains, reflect a broader uneasiness with the Mormon faith among some people. A Gallup poll in March suggested "something about the Mormon religion apparently disturbs a significant portion of the American population," pollsters said.

The poll showed 46 percent of Americans "have an unfavorable opinion of the Mormon religion." And a third of the respondents said they would not vote for a qualified presidential candidate of the Mormon faith, a question triggered by the Republican candidacy of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

In the last decade, the church began buying up property in Nauvoo and its $30 million temple opened in 2002.

Today, the town's Chamber of Commerce and Nauvoo's aldermanic government have a Mormon majority. Some locals say Mormons tend to hire from among their own, leaving others feeling left out.

"It's like Microsoft or Disney coming in and taking over the place," said Marilyn Candido, who recently lost a Web-consulting contract with the local chamber, which replaced her with a Mormon operator. Chamber officials say the move had to do with performance, not religion.

But many residents said the different factions in town have maintained a detente, one threatened by the Hulses' stance.

Last month the Hulses decried an annual nondenominational Passion play held at a Mormon-owned auditorium. The Mormon site is inappropriate because Mormons do not subscribe to Christian beliefs of Jesus Christ dying on the cross of Calvary for their sins, Rocky Hulse said, calling it a heresy for other denominations to join the event.

Nonetheless, several local Christian churches encouraged their congregations to participate, not only to promote harmony in town but also to spread the Gospel message of Christ.

"We live with the Mormon people and work alongside them," said Pastor Gayle Pope of the Christ Lutheran Church, who participated in the play. "We have differences with the Mormon belief but choose to do our evangelism by living out our faith."

Coming from a Mormon family of six generations, Rocky Hulse met his wife, Helen, while serving in the Navy in California. At first he tried to convert her to Mormonism, and she looked into it, though she held off joining the church.

The couple married in 1980 against his family's wishes. Later, Helen Hulse became an evangelical Christian, enraging her husband.

But on New Year's Day 1986, after hearing a cowboy preacher at a rodeo, Rocky Hulse says he became a Christian. The Lord put a burden on his heart, he says, to teach Christians about the ills of Mormonism and convert Mormons.

The couple moved to Indiana in 1999 and began a ministry targeting Mormons in the Midwest. Stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago's North Shore, the couple preached at Christian churches across the Midwest about Mormonism. On a visit to Nauvoo in 2002, Mormons barred Hulse from attending a temple open house because they deemed him disruptive.

The couple moved to Nauvoo in late 2005 to take over the Christian center. The storefront is filled with boards, pamphlets and literature such as "the troubling story of a self-proclaimed prophet" Smith.

Last fall, as their Christian television ministry "Truth Proclaimed" spread internationally, the Hulses say threats came. The couple now fear the threatening e-mail received before Christmas is being ignored by Utah investigators who they say want to protect Mormons.

Authorities traced the e-mail to an address belonging to a Mormon, Phil Rogers, of Farmington, Utah, a few miles north of Salt Lake City.

In a telephone interview with the Chicago Tribune, Rogers repeated what he told investigators: Someone hacked into his Internet account while he was using an open router. Internet security experts contacted by the Chicago Tribune said if Rogers allowed access to his router, tampering could be easily done by anyone in his neighborhood.

Bill McGuire, the Utah assistant county attorney investigating the case, said he is awaiting further police reports to determine if criminal charges will be filed and against whom.

"We prosecute Mormons all this time," said McGuire, a Mormon, who chuckled at the Hulses' accusation of a cover-up.

Still, Rocky Hulse doesn't trust the Mormons.

"Look at their history full of lies and deceit," he said. "We are a voice of truth, and they will do anything to silence it."

Lying for the Lord of the Mormon Church

2007-05-10T00:23:00.001-07:00

Robert Millet teaching future Mormon Missionaries to lie!

Lynell sent her concern and love?

2007-05-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

Below is an e-mail sent to my husband Rocky...with my response!

Lynell,

Helen wrote: "I was not going to have anything to say with the discourse going on between you and my husband, however the last statement in this diatribe of yours is enough!"

Lynell wrote: "It must be your vocation...doing what you do for monetary gain. I see, to take away your belief, would take away your means of support."

Helen wrote: "First of all my husband Rocky spent 33 years of his life in the US NAVY and just retired on August 1, 2006. You see, he earned his income by serving our country! He receives the military retirement that he earned - and nothing else. He receives absolutely no income from this Center - he works 7 days a week, 12-16 hours a day for nothing. Your remark about monetary gain couldn't be more wrong!!!!! He could have taken his years of experience as a Naval Officer and went to work for many different civilian companies in the defense industry. In fact he was offered two jobs one in San Diego, CA (my home) and one in Dallas, TX both offering him over six figures to start. Instead he spends countless hours in selfless service just to get statements like what you made thrown at him."

Lynell wrote: "I really do not have much time to spend writing response to everything you have copied and pasted, it would not serve you well. I have a wonderful "stripling warrior" preparing for his mission. A mission paid for by his family, and not for monetary gain."

Helen wrote: "As I've already said, my husband gets paid nothing! As far as "stripling warriors" are concerned, there isn't a single piece of evidence in all the world that such a thing ever existed! Where outside of Mormonism is there any evidence or information at all about a "stripling warrior?" DNA has proven the whole story of the Book of Mormon to be absolutely false and a fraud! So, I guess you approve of the fact that your "stripling warrior" will soon be telling anyone who'll listen the lie that the Book of Mormon is about the people of the Americas? And I guess you're happy to PAY for that?!"

Helen wrote: "I went to bed alone last night (as I have done during the many years he spent in the Navy while on deployments around the world) so that my husband could try and answer your questions and reach out with the truth and what he got in return from you were attacks against his character and false accusations."

Helen wrote: "I testify in all sincerity and I bear you my testimony, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and those men who followed up to the current Gordon B. Hinckley, are all false prophets as defined by God's inerrant Word the Bible! The Mormon (LDS) Church is a cult, defined by comparing its doctrines to the Word of God the Bible!

In John 1:1-3, Jesus makes it clear He is God, not a god, as taught by the Mormon (LDS) cult where Jesus and Satan our literal brothers."

Helen Hulse

Nauvoo ~ Bishop David Wright ~ How could your statement be correct ?

2007-04-30T05:03:00.001-07:00

Quoting the Chicago Tribune article: April 15, 2007

"It ought to be called a non-Christian center or anti-Mormon center," said Bishop David Wright, a top Mormon Church leader in Nauvoo. "I don't see anything Christian about it."

Of course we are Christian! The word “Christian” is right in the name of the Center: The Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center!

Isn't that what is heard daily from Mormons: Of course we're "Christian," the name of Jesus is in the name of our church 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?'

I guess what's good for the goose, doesn't apply to the gander!! Hmmmmm?

Perhaps Bishop Wright thinks because we don't believe that Jesus and Satan are literal brothers as the Mormons do, we don't meet the Mormon defintion of Christian?

What do we think about Mormon Love?

2007-04-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Many emails and a couple of letters have come into the Nauvoo Christian Visitors Center since we became the directors in October 2005. What has been posted are just a few of them, but there is certainty numerous more that have not been posted. This center has been in the same location in downtown Nauvoo since 1988. We aren't going anywhere because the heat has been turned up by such things as death threats!

Mormon Love Shared

2007-04-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Death threat sent on December 23, 2006 from Phil Rogers of Farmington, Utah ~Remains an open investigation at this time in Utah and Illinois.

id love to watch you all die, then witness the looks on your faces when you realise how stupid and counterproductive your fight really was.

Response's to Chicago Tribune Article on Sunday April 15, 2007 ~ Salt Lake City Tribune ~ Ogden Standard Examiner ~ East Valley Tribune ~ Friday April 20, 2007
From: "Adam Checketts" Subject: Re: Nice Logic FoolsDate: Monday, April 23, 2007 2:32 AM
Ha ha ha once again. You obviously did not read my first email. You contradict yourself, you now want to play the victim that I am the harsh one. I am not the one that set up shop to combat the "all evil mormons" nor do I dedicate my time to destroying the faith of others. Why not be constructive and talk about your beliefs instead of attacking other's beliefs? That is where my logic comment comes in. Even if your mistaken efforts to disprove the church of the Savior of the world were true, your approach is flawed. You're wrong, therefore I am right is the logic of insanity. I just listened to general conference again, and I am so thankful that our authorities do not participate in slamming other religions. I am quite knowledgable in scripture and the Bible which is a holy scripture, but the only instance I would use God's word, would be to share the message of the Savior and not to attack and use it in hostility. Good luck in life and I really do pity you. BTW I resent your comment of a hard heart, you know nothing of me and for you to presume that is unfortunate. I am not the one with a website dedicated to attacking an organization that does nothing but good in the world. You are a public figure and thus I have read and know your stance. You know nothing of mine other than my ability to call you on your contradiction of claiming to be Christ like.

From: "Rocky & Helen Hulse" Reply-To: "Rocky & Helen Hulse" To: "Adam Checketts" Subject: Re: Nice Logic Fools Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2007 Adam, as I stated "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who being saved it is the power of God". ( 1 Cor. 1:18) It appears from your words, the sadness you will feel as you hear those words [ha ha ha ha] for all of eternity ringing in your ears because of the hardness of your heart. I pray that it will not be so! -- Original Message --- From: "Adam Checketts" : Sunday, April 22, 2007 2:49 AM Subject: Re: Nice Logic Fools ha ha ha ha, look in the miror hypocrite, nice reponse. Luckily I saved a ton of your congregation on my own mission. How many have you converted? Now I am talking lucid converts, good luck, because God is obviously not on your side. From: "Rocky & Helen Hulse"Reply-To: "Rocky & Helen Hulse": "Adam Checketts" : Re: Nice Logic Fools Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:26:39 -0500 "You share know the truth and it shall make you free" (John 8:32) "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who being saved it is the power of God". (1 Corinthians 1:18)
From: "Evelyn" Subject: mormonsDate: Saturday, April 21, 2007 4:16 PM
I find it difficult to accept that you are "Christians," which means to me that you follow the admonitions of Christ. It was He who said there were two great commandments: "Love the Lord, thy God" and the second: "Love thy neighbor as thyself." If you consider the hatred you are espousing for your Mormon neighbors (in an area that they consider a sacred one) there is nothing Christlike about it. I do not agree with everything that the Mormons believe, but there is some merit in the lifestyle that the sincere Mormons live, and they have the right to live that life without the venom of groups like yours trying to break it down. Your efforts will not draw those committed people away from their faith and it only causes those of us who are more neutral to feel disgust toward you for trying to "tear down another man's house." My dear friends are Mormon, true Christians (unlike you, accepting others' rights to co-exist without being hostile toward them), Jewish, Catholic, and some whose religious affiliation has expired. And I will tell you this -- God loves us all as long as we are not attacking each other's faith. You might try just living your life the way you want to and letting others go about theirs the way they would like to. And...Mormons do send out missionaries to try to convert others, but they do not waste their time tearing down other religions; they present their beliefs and let people convert or not. Jesus would not endorse the negative things your are doing in His name. If the energy you are expending on trying to undermine your fellowman's foundations was spent in some constructive, positive endeavor you could probably change the world. I will not contaminate my spirit by judging you; I am making an observation of your actions and letting you know how it appears to the outsider who believes what Jesus taught. Let your spirit seek the positive.

From: "Adam Checketts"Subject: Nice Logic FoolsDate: Saturday, April 21, 2007 1:56 AM
I love it, you try and prove your beliefs by attacking another religion. It honestly amuses me that you have your logic so flawed. Go back to Plato and Socrates and learn something about logic. It is great to watch time and time again all you born again Christians say they are going to convert the Mormons and then fail so miserably. In fact it is hilarious because more of you sorry suckers end up joining our church. If the word Christian means being like you, then I am glad you do not consider me one. I believe Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the World and suffered for my sins, he is the ultimate and perfect example. Your misguided belief of by acting destructive, you are actually being constructive and spreading the word of God is completely ludicrous. How dare you attack what I find to be sacred. Shame on you. Why don't you watch even one general conference and see if the Mormon church attacks anybody.... nope, they don't. in fact the leaders preach to embrace their fellow man and chastise their members for not being good neighbors. The Mormon church sends millions all over the world every year in humanitarian aid. Nice job you fools, keep attacking, keep using your definition of charity and Christ like love to prove your hipocrisy. I pity you. Your life must be so sad that you dedicate it to something so negative instead of postive actions. And don't try and say that what you are doing is positive. Attacking someone for their religion is never positive, ask the Jews and the Islamic followers.
From: "Ryan McDonald"Subject: RespectDate: Friday, April 20, 2007 3:00 PM
Dear leaders of the Nauvoo Christian Foundation:
I was very disturbed to read an article in the SaltLake Tribune about the foundation that you run inNauvoo, Illinois. I respect your beliefs, however Ibelieve that it is completely distasteful for you topreach your anti-Mormon propaganda in a place that isvery important to those of the LDS faith. It is yourconstitutional right to say what you want where youwant to, but having your headquarters in Nauvoo givesthe impression that one of your goals is to getpublicity, and that should not be an objective of yourreligious beliefs. It is fine that you believe the wayyou do, and it is fine that you are trying to get yourword out, just like the LDS faith does with themissionary program, but don't hurt other people in theprocess.
I appreciate your time and would appreciate a responseif you feel so inclined. May God bless you.
Ryan McDonald

From: "Steve Stevy"Subject: Your Blog: Mormon Home EveningDate: Friday, April 20, 2007 2:10 PM
Dear "Christians",
I was surprised to read your blog and see how illogically it was written.It's always funny when anti-Mormons try to claim that Mormons aren'tChristian. Inevitably they misrepresent the Mormon doctrine and, in fact,undercut their own arguments. At least I always get a good laugh. Just foryour information here are a few problems I see in your reasoning. First, thebiggest problem is that you don't claim any authority to be able tointerpret the Bible. I would guess that you would agree that even the sectsthat you classify as Christians have disagreement about what the Bible seemsto say about doctrine. I submit one basic doctrine, the doctrine of Baptism.Some sects baptize by immersion (not just the LDS faith) some by sprinkling(not just the Catholics) and some don't believe in a physical baptism. Theexample demonstrates the fundamental problem in your reasoning. You say theMormons don't use the Bible; however, the Mormons do use the Bible, theyjust interpret it differently than you do. Since you don't claim propheticauthority what would make your interpretation any more correct than theMormon's? All your eight fundamental principles of Christianity can beinterpreted, through the Bible, by the doctrines of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. If you would like me to do so I would be thanwilling.Another fundamental flaw in your reasoning is found in the beliefs that youretain. I find it a bit comical that you as a "Christian", I'm assuming nota Catholic, believe creeds that were decided on by the people thateventually became the leaders of the Catholic church. Now, so manyreformers have found flaws in the creeds of the Catholic church that thereare hundreds of thousands of differentdenominational/non-denominational Christian sects. You are flawed becauseyou don't even know how the Bible was made. You don't even know who decidedon these fundamental Christian doctrines. Yet *your* mission is to educate?You don't even know where your own beliefs come from, how could you claim tobe able to educate?The last flaw in your claims is found in the very way you try to furtheryour "mission". If you don't believe in the doctrines of The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints that's fine. I don't blame you and I don'tcondemn you. However, I've read a few articles about what you do in order tofurther your mission. It is not in harmony with the methodologies of Christ.Christ didn't go to the places of worship of other religions to destroy theother religions of his time. When he did "contend" with the doctrines ofthe Seduces and Pharisees he was always asked questions by them. He neverwent to the grounds of a sermon they were teaching and disrupt theirteachings. Christ also taught to love your enemies and pray for those thatdespitefully use you. Christ taught his doctrine, not the doctrine ofanti-sadduce. If the interpretation of the Mormons was not correct, Christwould teach his doctrine with authority from his Father (do you believeChrist had a Father, or that he was schizophrenic, I mean Christ talked tohis Father quite a bit, maybe He was just talking to his alternatepersonality). Possibly your resources could be better used by serving yourfellow men by providing assistance to the needy, I think that's what Christdid most the time anyway.Again, I find it comical for you to proclaim that you are a Christian. Irespect your right to not believe in the Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints. I just find it a but hypocritical for you to claimthat there is no authority but the Bible and yet you assume your ownauthority by saying that the Mormon's interpretation of the Bible is wrong.Once again, I would be more than willing to show you how the Mormon'sdoctrine does come from the Bible.
Sincerely,Steve

From: "Shane Colman: Friday, April 20, 2007 12:07 PM
I believe you have an adequate representation of links that teach your viewsof the Mormon faith, but nothing from the Mormon faith. This lack ofrepresentation lessens your credibility and makes you come across asinsincere and argumentative. Clearly, as in the Garden of Eden, for someoneto know good from evil there must be opposition and choice. I know peopleare free to go to Mormon sites independently, but by placing links on yoursite where someone can compare what you teach to what Mormons actually teachwould lead more people to believe your intentions are sincere.
Lastly, a sincere question, how is dedicating much of your life to tearingdown the beliefs of others Christlike? Christ did not tear others down ortheir beliefs, but rather provided them with a new law, a path forrighteousness and salvation. I would guess your labors would be morefruitful in bringing people to the Lord if you preached a means of life andlight. As you explain in your life story, you and your wife disagreed onreligion for some time, and I'm betting you didn't get anywhere by merelystating "you are wrong and I am right". I believe you got somewhere becauseyou listened to someone who was sincere about what they believed and taughtthe message of the Savior. Good luck with your ministry.
Shane Coleman

From: "Jason Halm"Subject: ?Date: Sunday, April 15, 2007 10:58 AM
No Gods, No Masters! Religion has been used OVER and OVER again to divide humankind. Why do you continue this? Why must you fight for a divisive society?