Until I started blogging about 1 1/2 years ago I hadn’t heard of a lot of the stuff that’s out there such as “Adam/God Theory” and “Blood Atonement” that many anti-Mormons spread. The accusation of “earning” one’s salvation was something new to me as well that I had never heard of.
Faith is an interesting thing because it makes up so much of what a person does and how he or she views the world. When that faith is openly attacked the natural instinct is to bristle up and throw back some more punches.
Most “anti-Mormon literature” as we like to call it, is in my opinion ridiculous and pulled from obscure quotes by various prophets and not at all what we teach today. It’s the equivalent of taking some quote from one of the Christian crusaders and using it against all Christians.
However, there are many other of our fellow Christians who are well-intended in their approach with Mormons and who sincerely want to help us. Yesterday I read a great post over at Clean Cut that summarized a speech given by Dr Craig Blomberg. (If you don’t remember who Dr Blomberg is, he co-wrote “How Wide the Divide?“, which is a book on Mormon vs. Evangelical doctrine written by a Mormon and an Evangelical). In his speech, Bloomberg speaks to a large body of Christians in a talk entitled “What would Jesus Say to a Mormon?” I’ll have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about reading it because most people point fingers at us and try to tell us why we’re wrong. Dr Bloomberg did, what I think Jesus would have all of us do. He showed a genuine love for the LDS people and acknowledged their Christian beliefs. To view a summary of the 10 points he feels Jesus would say to Mormons you can also visit this blog.
I feel that although Blomberg doesn’t believe everything Mormons do he does exactly what a good Christian should do in my opinion and he sees the good and the common ground and builds on that rather than attacking the differences. I also feel he did a great job in his top 10 list of pointing out things we as Mormons can definitely learn from, but he also showed other Christians that in many ways Mormons aren’t so far off from what they believe as well.
What do you think about Blomberg’s approach?
Also, how to you feel about his top 10 list? Do you feel it’s accurate?
For us as Mormons, how can we learn from this in our discussions with fellow Christians?
5-23-09
I just read another great post related to this topic that was written last fall. It shares Dr Blomberg’s feelings of how the Mormon/Evangelical divide is from his perspective 11 years after having written the book. Check out the site here.
13 comments
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May 22, 2009 at 2:09 am
Bruce Johns
Well, I think we should be very careful when entertaining conventional Christian theology.
The devil will tell 99 truths to slip in one lie.
Why bother?
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September 30, 2011 at 9:38 pm
John Jeremiah Conroy
Yes the devil does slip in one lie with 99 percent of the truth however on the other hand we are to seperate truths from lies. those 99 percent of the doctrines that are true we can accept and seperate the false doctrines that are their. God gave us a brain to use for us to analize and to think and ponder and think creatively on our own fro answers..just because heirs one false doctrine with the truth doesnt mean we have to thow away the rest of the truth thats their.
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May 22, 2009 at 2:35 am
aquinas
I’m glad you listened to Craig Blomberg’s talk. I would not call describe it as anti-Mormon in any respect. I’d like to explain more of the background of this talk for readers who are not familiar. First of all, Southern Gables is an Evangelical church located in Colorado and Sound Living is the name of their audio sermon resource. In 2007, Sound Living ran a “What Would Jesus Say” series, with various speakers speaking on what Jesus would say to a Mormon, a Catholic, a New Ager, a Muslim, etc.
I think it is important to realize that Southern Gables could have picked anyone to speak for their Mormon segment. They chose Dr. Craig Blomberg, professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. in 1997, Dr. Blomberg co-authored “How Wide the Divide: A Mormon & an Evangelical in Conversation” with Stephen E. Robinson author of “Believing Christ.” I’m very pleased that Southern Gables invited Dr. Blomberg to participate in their series and pleased that Dr. Blomberg chose to accept their invitation. While Sound Living determined the title of the talk, I believe this is sincerely what Blomberg would say to his Mormon friends.
I hope Latter-day Saints can appreciate the immense benefit and contribution that came from this conversation and dialogue between Robinson and Blomberg. As a result, Dr. Blomberg is not only able to benefit Latter-day Saint audiences but more than that he is able to provide Evangelical audiences with a much more informed and accurate picture of Latter-day Saint worship and thought. This and many other events like it are the fruits of respectful and charitable dialogue between Latter-day Saints and Evangelicals.
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May 23, 2009 at 4:54 pm
trevor
i think that prof. blomberg’s comments were particularly positive, for which i am grateful.
i also enjoyed reading “how wide the divide.”
as for his list, i think that it was surprisingly good. i don’t particularly agree with two of his points concerning the priesthood of all believers and the trinity, but all in all i think he is a great man that tries to see beauty among what many would call ashes.
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May 23, 2009 at 5:28 pm
ezra
Ama,
I appreciate the olive branch that you put out on Christians have a lot of respect for the mormons, which include family values, a hard work ethic, and pious and devout lives.
What would Jesus do to someone he believes is contrary to his own word? Jesus showed this very thing in how he approached the Samaritans, who believed they were every bit as good as the Jews regarding doctrine (teaching) and practice (including worship). Jesus did not attack them, but neither did he let them believe they were teaching the truth. Jesus illustrated that the Samaritan could be even more loving and virtuous than the Jewish priests or levites (Parable of the Good Samaritan). And yet, he reminded the Samaritan woman that “you worship who you do not know,” and that salvation belongs to the Jew. At the same time, he was open to them forsaking their ways to follow only him, the descendent of David and the Son of God. God was merciful, but let the Word of God guide them to truth.
Jesus was also opposed to the Pharisees. Let’s consider his approach. He honored their works and commented that their words were good and solid. Yet, he soundly condemned them for hypocrisy and for placing heavy burdens on the lives of God’s peoples–more commands than he ever intended to give. He mentioned that they will go to the ends of the earth to make one convert, which often meant that the convert became twice the devil of the original.
So, we do have Scripture that tell of Jesus’ approach. As Jesus would say, “Let those who have ears, hear…”
Blessings in Christ,
Ezra
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May 24, 2009 at 1:18 am
ama49
Hi Bruce,
Which conventional Christian theology are you referring to exactly in reference to Dr Blomberg’s talk?
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May 24, 2009 at 1:22 am
ama49
Hi Aquinas,
I was mainly saying Dr Blomberg’s talk was “anti-Mormon” for effect to show people how one should approach others with opposing beliefs.
Thanks for your comments as well! As you can see from a couple other comments here there are LDS Christians and other Christians who aren’t too eager to embrace.
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April 25, 2010 at 9:44 am
John C.Traughber
The Spirit called to me while fishing in1974 I later became baptized in the LDS Church at age 17 now at age 53 I am glad I lived by its priciples. However there are many paths or ships one might take to keep them close to the lord. No one should worship the ship or path that they take
christ is our only chance and sure rod to hold to. Thanks for letting me comment. John c. Traughber 2540n 3300w arco Id. 83213 God bless you all who love the lord.
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April 30, 2010 at 4:16 am
kim gonzalvo
Imagine a ever so poverful God, who is capable of ANYTHING… one day decides to see what it feels like as a human…. He goes to his lowest point and joins us living humans…. as a baby….depending on OUR love and guidence and support for the first years of his life here on earth….. A powerful God who can calm the oceans…. comes to us, to be like us….. to save us…. He humbled himself….he took on our life…..so that we may have eternal life……he was ridiculed…..doubted….beaten….hated…..loved….worshiped…followed….and killed…..just so that we could have eternal life. WHY?????? Why did he go through that?????? He certainly didn’t have to, He is GOD!! He humbled himself to our level..so that we COULD see him….And so that we could make a concious choice of death, or eternal life. He gave us free will to choose……If God was willing to do that for me…..How could I NOT choose life…..
WE are FOREVER SECURE AS Christians
John 5:24… we actually have eternal life the moment we believe in Jesus
John 6:37-40&47…never is forever, and it’s God’s will we have eternal life
John10:28,29…even the devil cannot take us out of the Father’s hand
1Corinthians 6:19,20…we can’t disown God even if we wanted to, we’re His children because He’s our Father…and we’re not our own any more we’re His forever !
John 11:25,26..once we’re born again this new life will never die ..do you believe this?..I DO!!!!!!
John 4:14..once Jesus gives us eternal life it will spring up, Jesus said it and I believe Jesus, do you?
Philippians 1:6.. Jesus finishes what He starts even if I fail He won’t
Romans 6:23… God gives eternal life as a gift therefore I can’t earn it ,or lose it by not working for it. Eternal life is God’s gift to all who accept Jesus. Would you like this gift?
Ephesians 4:8…Eternal life is given without our works. We can’t be good enough, do enough, give enough, to cover even one sin. Eternal life is given because of the GRACE of God. Good news isn’t it!!!)
Romans 4:7,8… Jesus already had my sins count against Him on the Cross and God will never count them against me. My sin are cover by the blood of Jesus. Are yours????
Hebrews 7:25… Jesus saves me completely, not partially but COMPLETELY……Now that’s good news!!!!)
There isn’t a single verse in the New Testament that says if you are born into God’s family and God is living in you that you can lose your salvation. The very word eternal means forever. Eternal life is just that ETERNAL It’s a gift once we get it, it starts and never stops. We didn’t get it by being good, we got it by the Grace of a loving Father who knows how to give good gifts.
Many want to add good works to earn favour with God. All I want to do is love God for who He is, for what He has done for me and what He is doing for me now. I serve Him not because of fear of Hell but because I love Him.
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June 10, 2012 at 6:40 am
Bruce Williams
Bruce,
I recently left the Mormon Church. I’m not a belligerent anti-Mormon, but I want to give you some things to think about. You dismiss the Journal of Discourses and other early Mormon sources as ridiculous and obscure. In it’s day though, the Journal of Discourses was respected in the Church. Brigham does teach the Adam-God theory in a few sermons, but that isn’t the only source we have about this teaching. In Orson Pratt’s writings, you find him incredulous to find that Brother Brigham really does believe that Adam is God. Pratt was the senior apostle, by today’s standards in line to become the next prophet, seer, and revelator. Because of Pratt’s opposition though, Brigham reorganized the order of seniority. Pratt was ordained an apostle April 26, 1835. John Taylor was ordained Dec. 19 1838, and yet he became the next president of the Church.
When I take all the evidence together, it’s obvious to me that the Mormon Church is a creation of man. Sure, the Church today might do a lot of good and there are a lot of good people as its “fruit”. But so much in the Church’s history contradicts its claims and teachings.
I don’t know if you’ve “been through the temple”, but you should review the endowment ceremony as it used to read (many, many changes over the years) and then compare that to Masonic ritual. Absolutely blew my mind. Look at http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/mormonkingdomvol1ch13masonicinfluence.htm and scroll down to the section “Masonry in Temple Ritual” for such a comparison.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much damning evidence it can’t be ignored. Evangelical Christians often present a weak case against Mormonism because they are so unfamiliar with it. As a Mormon yourself though, you should be able to read these sources and fully appreciate their content. The truth should hold true against all, right? Don’t take your bishop or stake president’s word for anything. Find the truth for yourself.
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June 12, 2012 at 10:43 am
Doug Dwyer
Hey Bruce,
I’m not LDS but enjoy talking to Mormons and have developed some nice relationships with some of them-and have found that we have many points of agreement (along with some differences). I am thankful the church no longer holds to the Adam God doctrine-although I don’t know how it can be denied that it once was taught. While your life is on an interesting journey please continue to keep an open mind to the possibility of the existence of God-a personal all knowing and all loving Creator. Thanks for your post.
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September 9, 2013 at 12:12 pm
LL
I believe some speeches in the past could have been recorded incorrectly. “The content of the Journal of Discourses was transcribed, sometimes inaccurately, and published between 1854 and 1886 in England. The compilation contains some statements of doctrine as well as other materials of interest to Latter-day Saints who lived far from the center of the Church, including speeches given for a variety of occasions, funeral addresses, reports from returning missionaries, prayers, and the proceedings of a trial. The Journal of Discourses was produced under the guidance of those who transcribed the materials, including George D. Watt, David W. Evans, and George W. Gibbs.”
http://www.lds.org/topics/journal-of-discourses?lang=eng
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April 14, 2014 at 10:04 pm
EG
It was done in the spirit of being nice and honest. But I have a difficult time with some one putting words in God’s mouth, presuming to know what God thinks, what God says/would say, etc. It could be turned around on Bloomburg and LDS critics. “What would Jesus say to those who condemn others for not believing as they do” and “What would Jesus say to hateful Evangelicals who treat Mormons wrong” and I could go on and on.
If all the other Christian churches have the truth, then why are they not all in agreement in every aspect of everything having to do with religion? There should only be one church, and there is not. There are thousands of Christian churches who do agree with one another. They can not even agree on what the Trinity really is. And it is these same people who think they are calling Mormons out. Pleeeeeeeease.
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