The above quote of Voltaire, a deist, is no doubt quite sarcastic, but nevertheless it does contain some deep truth.
The bible is quite clear that Jesus has puzzled his followers and some decades after his death and ascension and in the absence of his speedy return they did their best in painting faithful pictures of Jesus for posterity. The pictures I refer to are the four gospels that give us an image of the embodied Jesus as lived on earth. These images where later followed by images of the mystical Jesus / Holy Ghost in Acts and Paul's letters. Not to mention Revelation, the most controversial of all images of Jesus. What should go into the canon and what not was a matter of heated debate and once settled we had the Bible and mostly stuck to the traditionally accepted selection of content (books). But the controversy about dogma went on throughout history and led to many schisms and so in 1830 the Mormons where re-imaging the picture of Jesus for all true believers to unite under. This picture got a distinct masonic flavour later on and was widely rejected. There are only 16 million Mormons on the planet and maybe only about half of them really believe the Mormon image of the Gospel. The Mormon dilemma is that their proof scriptures are without historical substance and have been widely disproven by scientific investigation.
But I believe it is not fair to wreck peoples faith. We should not over-emphasise the Mormon Dilemma and tear down other peoples faith without offering a better hope first. The Group that runs Adamsroad have recognised the Xmo Dilemma very well.
We ourselves have left the LDS church with a clear concept of Christian testimony and historical and social proof for its veracity. I respect those LDS members, especially from Utah who wish to stay LDS and proclaim the Gospel Jesus from within the LDS church and live out relational transformation from where they are planted . It will be a very long path for the LDS church to give up biblical unsustainable doctrines.
I regard the LDS faith at best as pious fiction and a biblical extrapolation intended to build faith at a time of great controversy and fights over dogma following the reformation. But it is not without merit because nobody has a monopoly on truth and some of the Mormon ideas (or adopted ideas) certainly challenge the veracity of evangelical pet beliefs. The Mormon Heaven and Hell seem to be closer to to a true concept of Gods Love and Truth then strict fundamentalist concepts that lean on Dante's divine comedy. Nevertheless I had to embark on a search for a more #truthful faith.
Do you know the Jesus of the Gospels ? He said I am the way , the truth and the life - John 14:6 - He also said I am the light (John 8).
Visit my facebook page Mormontruth http://on.fb.me/1Dj15oY
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Videos & Websites for Mormons with Questions
Support Site IRR
DNA BoM Video
Bible vs BoM Video
Smiths Family (Vogel)
Postmormon Types
DNA website (Southerton)
Mormon Challenges
Mormonism > Christian
Steve Bloor
RLDS Managed Decline
LDS Race and Priesthood
Salamander society
Xmo Scholars