9 thoughts on “Mormon “Prophet” Joseph Smith’s teaching on the Trinity not only contradicts orthodox Christianity, it also contradicts the Book of Mormon.”

1. Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon are both perfectly correct on the nature of God. You look for trouble in the strangest places!

   The “trinity” is the invention of the state church of Rome to satisfy charges of Christian polytheism from Judaism and to meet the demands of Greek philosophy, which soon after the death of the apostles began to trump scripture.

   Your so-called “inconsistency” arises from a fundamental misunderstanding of the title “God,” which arises from the putting more trust in the incomprehensible, un-biblical Nicene Creed than in the scriptures. I hear “sola scriptura” all the time, but all I observe in practice is “sola credo!”

   Whenever the unity of “God” is stressed in scripture, the scriptures are speaking of the Godhead — the divine presidency that presides over the universe. Unlike the gods of the pagans, there is no conflict between them. One speaks for the others under all circumstances. Think “e pluribus unum” — “from many, one.”

   Substitute “Godhead” for “God” and your troubles will be over. (Acts 17:29 [context: multiplicity of Greek gods], Romans 1:20 [context: misunderstanding the nature of God leads to gross sin], Colossians 2:9 [context: avoid the vain philosophies of men, such as creeds yet to be invented!])

   Once you accept the truth about the nature of the Godhead as three persons united perfectly in purpose and love — but never in substance — you will no longer have to furtively avoid the passages in the scriptures that testify that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings — like those “minor” incidents like the baptism of Jesus, the transfiguration of Jesus, and the martyrdom of Stephen, who saw “the Glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55)

   You can then joyfully accept the testimony of Stephen that the Father has a right hand, and that Jesus is capable of standing at his right hand, without having to employ smoke and mirrors. You can then also accept the true testimony of Joseph Smith, who saw two glorious beings, one of whom called Joseph by name and said, pointing to the other, “This is My Beloved Son, hear Him!”
   http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/11-19#11

   Trying to believe both the scriptures and the Nicene Creed is an exercise in cognitive dissonance.

   If you believe both the Nicene creed and scripture, you have to believe that our destiny, as followers of Christ, is also to become one substance with the so-called “trinity.” But throw out that abomination, and the scriptures are pure and undefiled. Finally, you won’t have to skip over the following passage, where Jesus testifies about his perfect unity with his Father and with ALL whom he has redeemed by the shedding of his blood:

   “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

   And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

   One in substance? Nonsense! Rubbish! Balderdash! One in love and purpose? Ah! pure truth rises to the top like cream!

   The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luke 24:39). He ascended in that same body to heaven, and the angel told the disciples that he would come again in like manner.(Act 1:11). Before he ascended in their sight, did he hide his glorified, physical, eternal body of flesh and bone under a rock?

   So when the council of Nice decided they needed to kill the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ in order to stuff him together with the Father and the Holy Ghost into one incomprehensible blob of pseudo-plasm which they called the “trinity,” where did they imagine they could possibly stash his glorified, resurrected, physical body of flesh and bone?

   hthalljr’gmail’com

   LikeLike

2. I’m puzzled. When I checked your blog today it showed no comments, but when I posted my second comment, my first one appeared. If the first comment continues to appear, kindly delete my second one and accept my apologies.

   LikeLike

3. Your request was done.

   Perhaps I missed where the Bible says the three are one “in purpose.”

   Allow me to reiterate what the B of M states:
   “. . . And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God without end. Amen.“

   (Book of Mormon * 2 Nephi 31:21 * Allegedly written between 559 BC and 545 BC)

   “. . . Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one eternal God . . .“

   (Book of Mormon * Alma 11:44 * Allegedly written in 82 BC)

   “. . . unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God . . .“

   (Book of Mormon * Mormon 7:7 * Allegedly written in 385 AD)

   None of these say “one God in purpose.” They are all very clear. It appears that the smoke & mirrors are being employed by you. The B of M is very clear that all three are “one God” period. Not in purpose.

   LikeLike

4. Well I do not wish to contend with anything said as i respect other’s beliefs, however if you are going to site those scriptures will you not site all the others in the Book of Mormon that state….”Jesus prayed unto the father” Why would Jesus pray to himself? When Jesus was on the earth they recorded a voice from heaven saying, “this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased.” That would be odd? They are one in purpose. The father and the son have tangible bodies of flesh and blood. I know this to be true through prayer and not other’s words.

   LikeLike

5. C.F.,

   Why would the Holy Bible say that God is a spirit (John 4:24) and that no one has seen the Father at any time (John 1:18) if He is really a flesh and blood being that Joseph Smith Jr. could see?

   Is the Holy Bible lying or is Joseph Smith Jr. lying?

   Why would the Holy Bible claim in John 3:6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” if a flesh and bones god can beget spirit children?

   Is the Holy Bible lying or is Mormonism lying?

   If you’re trusting your feelings about truth then you’re in big trouble because the Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and Jesus said that from the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:20).

   Unlike your fickle feelings that change and change over time God’s Word as established uniquely within the Holy Bible is settled forever (Psalm 119:89). Satan is more than willing and able to give you a “burning in the bosom” so that he can dupe you into burning forever in torments in hell fire for trusting in another gospel, which is no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6)

   But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)

   The accursed (anathema) category listed above includes Moroni and Joseph Smith, Jr.

   In Christ,
   CD

   LikeLike

6. CF,

   I believe your questions arise from a misunderstanding common to many LDS–the idea that we Christians believe the Father and the Son to be the same Person. In fact, Jesus was not “praying to Himself” He was praying to the Father. What you are talking about is a system called “Modalism” or “Oneness” teaching, the kind put forth by heretics like TD Jakes.

   We believe that there is ONE God, who exists in three Persons–Father, Son, Holy Spirit. How to explain it? I’ll try. The closest I have come to an illustration of this relationship is like this (although it is not perfect, as no human illustration of God could ever be perfect)–

   Consider Lake Itasca in Minnesota. At one point it flows into the Mississippi River. Eventually, the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. While these are three distinct bodies of water, if you look at them from above, you see that they are in fact ONE body of water. One ends, another begins, they are different from one another–but they are the same substance as the others.

   Now, think of this in terms of the Orthodox Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons, but are in fact one God–not just in purpose, but in substance, in essence, and in every way our human minds can imagine. There was never a time when Jesus was not God (not just “A God”, but “THE God”). He was not one of three “Gods” nor is there any other God but God.

   2nd Corinthians 11:3-4–But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

   LikeLike

7. Coram + Fourpointer you are quick to point out perceived contradictions with the BoM while ignoring the explanations given. You dismiss them b/c it doesn’t quote the explanation word for word.
   Yet when questioned about the Trinity you offer an equally if not more interpreted explanation using Lake Itasca. You are pretty much describing/saying that God and Christ act exactly as if they are 3 separate beings and then adding, “that they are one”.
   Also why not address the account of stephen seeing God and Christ? You are quick to use John 1:18 but what about John 6:46? “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.”
   I find it hard to believe that you could have overlooked the countless references to the trinity being separate beings and one in purpose being as well versed as you seem. So why ignore what the bible teaches? I am tired of “Christians” accusing Mormons of interpreting the scriptures when that is almost the sole defense of those attacking Us. i.e. “well let me give you an example… or what this scripture actually means is… “

   LikeLike

8. Noah234,

   When Stephen never said he saw God; he said he saw Christ at the right hand of God. That is a location. When Jesus said if you see him you see the Father, he was making the point of God’s character reflected in Him, not that he was the Father himself.

   I can demonstrate from Scripture, using basic logic, that the Scripture alone teaches the Trinity.
   http://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/2010/09/trinity-proven-by-logic.html

   What you cannot find is Scripture is the idea of God being a man who is glorified.

   LikeLike

9. I should hope that Tracy’s very clear comment has dispelled any misunderstanding regarding this!

   LikeLike

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.