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This volume will be a valuable addition to the library of Latter-day Saints who have been recipients of anti-Mormon literature or whose friends and neighbors, while investigating the Church, have been given anti-LDS literature.
Criticisms of the LDS Church are frequently based on intentional misinterpretations of Mormon doctrine. This book provides useful clarifications and rebuttals of many of those misrepresented doctrinal and historical areas. It gives simple but authoritative answers to more than sixty often-asked questions posed by anti-Mormon detractors. The answers are direct and non-confrontational, providing the reader with ways to respond to those who question them in a friendly, teaching way.
The author points out pertinent Biblical parallels to many situations. His answers are supported by appropriate scriptures, statements of modern prophets, the writings of ancient Christian leaders, and corroborating findings by modern non-LDS scholars.
The author encountered his first anti-Mormon book while serving in the Scottish-Irish mission in the early ‘60s. Disturbed by what he read, he and a fellow missionary analyzed the inconsistencies in the book as they spent their diversion days together.
In 1983, while serving as the Denver LDS Bi-regional Associate Director of Public Communications, he attended an early showing of an anti-Mormon movie. The experience spurred him to transcribe the script and publish a list of more than 50 factual errors found in the film. During the period of the ground-breaking and construction of the Denver Temple, he appeared on numerous radio talk shows, countering the negative press and misleading statements of anti-Mormon faction leaders.
Following the Denver Temple dedication, he and several friends began writing responses to the anti-Mormon literature they had encountered—a project which has continued for over a decade. This book contains answers to most of the commonly asked challenges posed by detractors during the past 15 years. Every Latter-day Saint can benefit from the keen insights it contains.
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Introduction, 11
Part 1— Answers to Questions About The Book of Mormon, 13
1. Does It Quote Shakespeare?, 15
2. Why Is the French Word Adieu Used?, 17
3. Did It Give the Wrong Birthplace For Jesus?, 19
4. Does It Quote the King James Bible?, 21
5. Does It Contradict the Bible?, 24
6. Does the Doctrine and Covenants Contradict It?, 25
7. Why Is Christ Only "A" Son of God?, 27
8. Was It Based On View of the Hebrews?, 29
9. Where Is Its "Fullness of the Gospel"?, 33
10. Does It Forbid polygamy?, 35
11. Did the Smithsonian Refute It?, 37
12. Why Were 4,000 Changes Made?, 40
Part 2— Answers to Questions About The Bible, 46
13. Can Anyone "Add to It"?, 48
14. Was Moroni a False Spirit?, 50
15. Do Latter-day Saints Teach Another Gospel?, 53
16. Do Latter-day Saints Tear Down The Bible?, 55
17. Why Trust In "Bumings in the Bosom"?, 58
18. Why Believe In It Only As It Is Translated Correctly?, 60
Part 3— Answers to Questions About Joseph Smith, 63
19. Did He Claim To Do a Greater Work Than Jesus?, 65
20. Did He Falsely Prophesy of Christ's Return?, 67
21. Can People Go To Heaven Without His Consent?, 70
22. Did He Falsely Prophesy Of a Temple In Independence?, 73
23. Was He Really a Martyr?, 76
24. Did He Teach That the Moon Was Inhabited?, 79
25. Why Did He Make Changes In the Doctrine & Covenants?, 82
26. Did He Prophesy Falsely Regarding David Patten?, 85
Part 4—Answers to Questions About Church Doctrine, 87
27. How Does Baptism Relate to Being "Born Again"?, 89
28. Can Men Become As God?, 92
29. Are All Statements By LDS Authorities Doctrine?, 94
30. Are Latter-day Saints Really Christians?, 97
31. Why Don't LDS Avoid "Endless Genealogy"?, 101
32. Is Man Saved By Grace Or Works?, 103
33. Why Did Joseph Smith Describe "Everlasting Burnings" In Heaven?, 106
34. No Salvation Outside the LDS Church?, 108
35. Are There Three Heavens and No Hell?, 110
36. Doesn't Isaiah Call Our Righteousness "Filthy Rags"?, 112
Part 5— Answers to Questions About Jesus Christ and God the Father, 115
37. Is God Adam?, 117
38. Does the "Mormon" God Change?, 122
39. Do the Saints Have A "Different Jesus"?, 126
40. Was Jesus Begotten of the Holy Ghost?, 129
41. Was Jesus Married?, 131
42. Is Lucifer the Brother of Jesus?, 134
43. Is There More Than One God?, 137
44. Is the "Mormon Jesus" Unforgiving?, 147
45. Is God a Spirit in the Book of Mormon?, 150
46. Are Some Sins Unforgivable?, 152
Part 6— Answers to Questions About Miscellaneous Items, 154
47. Was the "Revelation" Received in Response to Pressure?, 156
48. Does "Mormon" Mean "Gates of Hell"?, 161
49. Why Don't the Saints Wear Crosses?, 163
50. Is the Temple Garment Unchristian?, 166
51. Why Was Joseph Smith Jailed?, 168
52. Is Oliver Granger's Name Forgotten?, 170
53. Do the Saints Have 4,300 Laws?, 172
54. Was the Book of Abraham Disproved?, 174
55. Why Have Secret Oaths and Covenants?, 179
56. Does the Temple Display Pentagrams?, 182
57. Are the Temple Rituals Anti-Christian?, 185
58. Are Church Publications the Source of Doctrine?, 188
59. Do Only Prophets Think For the Church?, 191
60. Did Church Leaders Have Weaknesses?, 194
61. Why Water For the Sacrament?, 196
Bibliography, 199
Index, 203
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