Christmas Book Citations Gordon B. Hinckley Part 2

Viewpoint is to examine the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from a viewpoint when Mormonism is sponsored by Mormonism research ministry since 1979 Mormonism research ministry has been dedicated to equipping the body of Christ with answers regarding the Christian faith in a manner that expresses gentleness and respect.

And now, your host for today's viewpoint on Mormonism are things that is roadbed for that musical introduction welcome to this additional viewpoint on Mormonism.

I'm your host, Bill McKeever, founder and director Mormonism research ministry and with me today is Eric Johnson. My colleague at MRM we continue looking at books that were given away as Christmas gifts by the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints between the years 1981 in 2017 yesterday we began looking at a book that was given away over two years two Christmases. The Christmas of 2004 and the Christmas of 2005. It was a two-volume set title discourses of Pres. Gordon B.

Hinckley, Gordon B. Hinckley was the 15th president of the church and today were going to look at a statement that he made regarding the book of Mormon. He says I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world that such a statement strikes me is just really odd yesterday. We were citing Gordon B. Hinckley in the same book, where he talks about how he and his missionary companion when he was on his mission in Preston England read together.

John chapter 1 verses one and 14.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Now he's asking here. Why is it that those of us outside of his church wouldn't want the book of Mormon because as Gordon B.

Hinckley believes this book testifies of the divinity of Jesus Christ will yesterday show.

We cited Gordon B. Hinckley reading from John chapter 1 isn't that enough reference how many references do we really need, but let me just say folks there are a number of references in our New Testament that shows the divinity of Christ. Let me just quickly run through a number of them. John 11 John 518 John 1033 Philippians 26 Colossians 29 acts 2028 first Timothy 315 and 16 first Timothy 117 first Timothy 410, Romans 95 second Peter 11, Revelation 18 first John 520 check out those verses. They all speak to the divinity of Jesus, why would we need 1/19 century novel.

To further add to the list, especially something as questionable as the book of Mormon. Mr. Hinckley, it's because it's not necessary. We don't believe it to be true, why would we want to use a book like that to bolster a belief that we have. We don't need it. How many religions are out there using Jesus and his name and saying they have a view of Jesus. That's the correct view. Let me just give you one Islam talks about Jesus throughout the Quran and why do Christians reject that book because it's not the authentic Jesus is another Jesus talked about in second Corinthians 11 four the Bible very clearly says if it's not the right Jesus you have a false gospel and it's one that should be condemned rather than affirmed. And so if Mormonism has Jesus and they do Jesus is certainly in their name their churches title. But if that Jesus is a different Jesus then why would we want anything to do with it is so the book of Mormon talks about Jesus. Jesus came the Americas. We have no evidence of that to reject it.

If it's not true. Also in this book discourses the Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley in volume 2 on page 581 there's a man that is interviewing Gordon B. Hinckley. His name is Jack Cushman and he asked the question, how should members of the church respond to efforts of some other religious groups to convert them to other beliefs and religions. What it Gordon B. Hinckley say to that. Well I say this, we don't downgrade any religion. We recognize the good they all do I say to those of other faiths. You bring all the good that you have and let us see if we can add to it. Now that's our attitude reduced to a very short statement and it works and I might add Bill.

He uses this phrase in the two-volume set dozens of times. I read both of them and I can't tell you how many times he brings up this idea that you bring the good you have and let us see if we can add to what you already have and not just say that that has been a very successful model for missionaries who go down in Central America, South America, other places where the, the Catholic Church met perhaps is has a deep influence and though say oh you have Jesus so do we.

Let us give you the book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ. And it's been proven that that is a way the missionaries have gotten into many homes. The problem of course is what you consider to be doctrinally good, would be in many cases, considered doctrinally bad by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

So even when he says, you bring all the good that you have that's going to be questioned if it is for instance the doctrine of the Trinity or the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Naturally, these are not beliefs that the Mormon church shares with us, but when he says we don't downgrade any religion now.

Maybe Gordon B. Hinckley didn't but the LDS church certainly has a history of questioning, the Christianity of those outside of its organization. For instance, Brigham Young on July 8, 1863 and this is found in the Journal of discourses, volume 10, page 230 he said.

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. We also have a member of the first presidency under Brigham Young.

George q. Cannon. This also can be found in the Journal of discourses, volume 24, page 185. He said I do not wish to say anything in relation to other forms of religion. I do not know that it is necessary that I should do so, but no thinking man can admit that Christianity so called I call it a full's Christianity on true to its name satisfies the wants of humanity at the present time it is not a religion that satisfies well I guess that would all be determined. Eric on what is it that you was Latter Day Saints want in order to be satisfied. You see, if I as a New Testament Christian want the forgiveness of my sins if I want to have good favor with my creator, I'm going to be most satisfied with what I believe but apparently that must not be the desire or the want of many members of the LDS church. When you ask them do you have forgiveness they don't know when he makes a statement you bring all the good that you have and let us see if we can add to it. I don't think that's the right way of saying it. I think it should read you bring all the good that you have. If you're Christian and let us see if we can contradict it and I'll tell you why, because what Christianity is based on.

You can't move from there into Mormonism without contradicting what was originally believed. Let me give you a citation from volume 1, page 256 of the discourses the Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley.

This is what he says about creeds. We believe in God the eternal father and in his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, articles of faith 11. The first article of faith epitomizes our doctrine. We do not accept the Athanasian Creed we do not accept the Nicene Creed or any other creed based on tradition and the conclusions of man, so bill right there you have an admission that the God of Mormonism is different than the one that biblical Christianity has taught for 2000 years as affirmed in the creeds written to explain what we do believe about God will that would explain why other leaders that came prior to Gordon B. Hinckley such as Parley P.

Pratt, who was a Mormon apostle in the book either the science of theology. The 1978 edition, page 106. He said the falls and corrupt institutions, and still more corrupt practices of Christendom and Christendom's in quotation marks have had a downward tendency in the generations of man for many centuries the overthrow of those ancient degenerate races is a type of that which now awaits the nations called Christian or in other words, the great horror that set up upon many waters we don't downgrade any religion.

Maybe Gordon B. Hinckley was much more of a diplomat. He didn't use language like that, but certainly this type of language was used throughout the history of Mormonism. We have my favorite my favorite critic Bruce R. McConkie, a Mormon apostle died in the mid-1980s. He said the whole Christian world in the days of the prophet speaking of Joseph Smith believed falsely that God was a mystical spirit essence that fill the immensity of space and was everywhere and nowhere in particular present, all of which proved only that they were all heretics that the apostasy was universal. Heresy is false doctrine.

There is no salvation in a false doctrine. Other I would agree with Bruce Pataki. The question of course really boils down to who is really teaching the false doctrine Latter Day Saints who have to go to outside sources other than the Bible to get their doctrine or the Christians who were going to the Bible, trying to understand clearly what the authors wrote down and what they wanted us to understand them to mean one more citation and this comes from volume 1, pages 199 to 200 Hinckley rights. There are some of other faiths who do not regard us as Christians, that is not important how we regard ourselves is what is important. We acknowledge without hesitation that there are differences between us were this not so, there would have been no need for a restoration of the gospel. We must not become disagreeable as we talk of doctrinal differences. There is no place for acrimony, but we can never surrender or compromise that knowledge which is come to us, or revelation in the direct pistole of keys and authority under the hands of those who held them anciently. Let us never forget that this is a restoration of that which was instituted by the Savior of the world. It is not a reformation of perceived false practice and doctrine that may have developed through the centuries, so bill one more time. He said bring what you have and will add to it, but he's now saying what we need a restoration not a reformation know that lessons he says it is not a reformation of perceived false practice and doctrine that may have developed through the centuries. That's a very nice diplomatic way of saying were right there wrong but yet this is the same Gordon B. Hinckley in that interview with Jack Cushman that says we don't downgrade any religion as much is that does not bother me that kind of talk of fact, I kind of appreciate it because that kind of honesty I think helps us when we are trying to have what I want to have and that is an honest conversation with a Latter Day Saints.

I really don't appreciate it when Mormons say will we believe everything you believe, or I'm a Christian, just like you.

That just means I might have to take extra time to show them the differences between us before we can start having the honest conversation that I'm seeking. So when he says things like that.

It doesn't offend me when McConkie says what he says it doesn't offend me or even Parley Pratt, that's their position. Folks, that's what they believe. I need to know what they really believe if I'm going to offer a repeat model.

It's difficult to offer rebuttal. When the Mormon is constantly making it sound like they agree with everything that I say yet I know from experience that that cannot possibly be true.

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