Bridge of Reason

Has anyone else noticed how some groups anoint everything with the idea of the 'sacred'? Mormons don’t simply have conferences, they have ‘solemn assemblies.’ Their proceedings may be shared and discussed, but any questioning of these ‘sacred’ meetings is seen as crass. After all, the prophet has spoken and we all should be grateful. ‘ Sacred’ here means beyond criticism. To Mormons, the place where Joseph Smith had his ‘First Vision’ (note the official capitalisation ) is called the ‘Sacred Grove’ (also capitalised). ‘Sacred’ here means unimpeachable, so we had better respect it or we will just let ourselves down. Sacred groves are not and never have been part of the landscape of the Christian faith. Here i n the United Kingdom churches were often built o ver the sites of pagan Anglo-Saxon sacred groves. These groves have been associated with paganism, animism, polytheism, the cult of the dead, but never Christ . Mormons also build and operate temples, considered so ‘...

  ‘ But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers. ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the customs of Moses, you cannot be saved.’’ (Acts 15:1) In Acts 15 we see people who follow Paul around, questioning his message of grace, pressing the case for rules that they alone, of course, would teach and apply. These were likely the Pharisees of verse 5. Setting themselves up as authority figures , they insisted Gentiles needed to become Jews in order to become Christians. Y ou may throw at them as many grace verses as you like, their answer will always be the same familiar, ‘I know what it says, but this is what it means. Believe me, I am an authority on these things. I have been to the top of the mountain and have the anointing ’ Former cultists will find this so familiar, indeed I remember saying this myself. The message of the gospel of grace - saved by grace, through faith in Christ, works following - is so clear in the Bible. Yet there will always be th...