Bridge of Reason

  In last week’s Watch Tower Wednesday on the Facebook Page we saw i n the Reasoning book, p 328, the question 'How can a person know which religion is right?' They suggest a series of tests, beginning with: '(1) On what are its teachings based? Are they from God, or are they largely from men? (2 Tim. 3:16; Mark 7:7) Ask, for example: Where does the Bible teach that God is a Trinity? Where does it say that the human soul is immortal? '(2) Consider whether it is making known the name of God. Jesus said in prayer to God: “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world.” (John 17:6) He declared: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matt. 4:10) Has your religion taught you that ‘it is Jehovah you must worship’? Have you come to know the Person identified by that name—his purposes, his activities, his qualities—so that you feel you can confidently draw close to him?' Do they hav...

  In the official church manuals of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the personhood and the purpose of the Holy Ghost is described this way: The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead (see 1 John 5:7; D&C 20:28). He is a “personage of Spirit” (D&C 130:22). He can be in only one place at a time, but His influence can be everywhere at the same time (Gospel Principles, 2009, p. 32). The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, without a body of flesh and bones (see D&C 130:22). He is often referred to as the Spirit, Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the comforter (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, 2004, pp. 81-82). We shouldn’t be surprised that in their description, we only find one reference from the Bible as to the personhood and purpose of the Holy Spirit. Much of Mormon doctrine does not arise from the Bible but rather latter-day revelation allegedly given to Joseph Smith. The one Bible ve...

  I have recently, for teaching purposes, been drawing on the familiar Reasoning From the Scriptures book. The idea is a simple one, not especially novel, and other groups have something similar. The title comes from Acts 17:2,3, 'According to Paul's custom he went inside to them, and...he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.' The thinking is they follow the example of Jesus and his apostles. 'In answer to questions, Jesus quoted scriptures and at times used appropriate illustrations...' So, a sort of doorstep systematic theology then. They go on: 'Instead of providing a broad, general coverage of each subject, Reasoning From the Scriptures focuses primary attention on questions that are currently being asked by many people.' Note those words, ’currently being asked by many people.’ I have stepped back and taken an overview of the book, from A to W (notably, there is no Z for Zion) and asked myself, have they achieved what they set out to do? What ...

  Have you had Mormon Missionaries bear their testimony to you? When backed into a corner, when feeling that you are being contentious, these young Mormons will say: ‘I bear you my testimony that I know the Book of Mormon is true, I know that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet of God and I know that the Church is the only true church.’ They have, they claim, the witness of the Spirit that what they believe is true. This, in a nutshell, is Mormonism. They believe all they believe because of this so-called ‘witness of the Spirit’. How does that work? The desire of the Mormon Missionary is for you and me to also experience the ‘witness of the Spirit’ as they do, but what do they mean? They will point an interested person to a passage in the Book of Mormon – Moroni 10:3-5: Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of ...