Glenn Beck and Mormonism : further findings about Mormonism -- the similarities with Islam...

This article deals with my further findings about Mormonism -- about the similarities of Mormonism and Islam...

That same angel who appeared to Joseph Smith also appeared to the founder of Islam some twelve hundred years earlier. The whole similar concoction comes from the same author behind it all – Satan.

First, for those who are not familiar, here are some facts about Mormonism, gleaned from the Wikipedia encyclopedia:

Mormonism is the doctrine taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The Latter Day Saints church considers itself to be a restoration of the early Christian Church started by Jesus Christ, which was later lost in the centuries after Christ in a Great Apostasy.

It was started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening around 1830 in Western New York, U.S., who claims to be the new christ and prophet who took over the works of Jesus Christ in this dispensation.

The church claims a growing membership of over 14.1 million worldwide with over 50,000 missionaries.

The church has an open canon which includes four scriptural texts: the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

LDS doctrines regarding the nature of God and the potential of mankind differ significantly from mainstream Christianity.

Under the doctrine of continuing revelation, Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus, under the direction of the "heavenly father", leads the church by revealing his will to its president, whom adherents regard as a modern-day "prophet, seer, and revelator."

Individual members can also receive personal revelation from God in conducting their lives. The President heads a hierarchical structure with various levels reaching down to local congregations. Bishops, drawn from the laity, lead local congregations.

Worthy male members, after reaching age 12, may be ordained to the priesthood.

Women do not hold positions within the priesthood but serve in an array of other leadership roles. Both men and women may serve as missionaries, and the church maintains a large missionary program which proselytizes and conducts humanitarian services worldwide.

Faithful members adhere to laws regarding sexual purity, health, fasting, and Sabbath observance, and contribute 10 percent of their income to the church as a tithe. In addition, the church teaches sacred ordinances through which adherents make covenants with God, including baptism, confirmation, the sacrament (holy communion), and celestial marriage (marriage blessings which extend beyond mortality), which are of great significance to church members.

Research shows there is a remarkable similarity between Islam (c.622 a.d.) and Mormonism (c. 1830 a.d.), which were founded about 1200 years appart. It is obvious the real author behind both of them is the same.

Here are some of the similarities:

(Mostly gleaned from http://www.saintsalive.com/resourcelibrary/mormonism web site)

Both had humble beginnings:

Mohammed and Joseph Smith both had humble beginnings with no formal religious connections and no relative education. Both founded new religions by creating their own scriptures.

Both claimed of having angel visitations:

Both founders claimed angel visitations and receipt of divine revelations to restore "pure" religion to the earth again.

Both claimed true religion had become corrupted:

Both claimed that Jewish and Christian religions had become corrupted and that consequently the Bible itself was no longer reliable and in need of a complete scriptural restoration.

Both claimed to be prophets of god:

Both prophets claim they were used of God to restore eternal truths which once existed on earth, but had been lost due to human corruption.

Both prophets created new scripture:

Both founders created new scripture which borrowed heavily from the Bible, but with a substantially new meaning.

In his Koran, Mohammed appropriates a number of Biblical themes and characters—but he changes the complete sense of many passages, claiming to “correct” the Bible. In so doing he changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

In like manner, Joseph Smith created the Book of Mormon, much of which is derived directly from the King James Bible. Yet, in order to deceive, Mormons quote from the Christian Bible, but their Book of Mormon claims it has been corrupted and is no longer reliable.

In addition, Joseph Smith actually created his own version of the Bible, calling it the “Inspired Version,” in which he adds and deletes significant portions of text to “correct” the original Word of God, and changes many doctrines, introducing his own in their place.

Both founders saw themselves as prophesied in scripture:

As a part of their new scriptural interpretation, both saw themselves as prophesied in scripture and as a continuation of a long line of Biblical prophets.

Mohammed saw himself as a continuation of the ministry of Moses and Jesus.

Joseph Smith saw himself as a successor to Enoch, Melchizedek, Joseph and Moses. Smith actually wrote himself by name into his own version of the Bible.

Both founders held up their own scripture as superior to the Bible:

Mohammed claimed that the Koran was a perfect copy of the original which was in heaven. The Koran is therefore held to be absolutely perfect, far superior to the Bible and superceeding it.

Joseph Smith also made the claim that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the foundation of their religion which brought men nearer to God by its precepts than by any other book.

Both founders admonished their followers to adhere to Biblical teachings:

Despite their claim that the Bible was corrupt, both admonished their followers to adhere to its teachings. This led to selective acceptance of some portions and wholesale rejection of others. As a result, the Bible is accepted by both groups of followers only to the extent that it agrees with their prophet’s own superior revelation.

Both taught that true salvation was to be found only in their respective religions:

Both taught that those who would not accept their message were considered “infidels,” pagans or Gentiles. In so doing, both became the enemy of genuine Christianity, and have led many people away from the Christ of the Bible who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Both believe in a polygamous reign to come:

Mormon belief says that in obedience to their laws they will be allowed to become polygamous gods in the next life, the literal father of the peoples of a new and different earth.

Islam teaches that to die for their religious cause, Muslims will be given 72 virgins in heaven.

Both founders encountered fierce opposition:

Both had to flee from town to town because of threats on their lives. Both retaliated to this opposition by forming their own militias. Both ultimately set up their own towns as model societies.

Both left unclear instructions about their successors:

The majority of Mohammed’s followers, Sunni Muslims, believe they were to elect their new leader, whereas the minority, Shiite Muslims, believe Mohammed’s son was to be their next leader.

Similarly, the majority of Joseph Smith’s followers, Mormons, believed their next prophet should have been the existing leader of their quorum of twelve apostles, whereas the minority, RLDS, believed Joseph Smith’s own son should have been their next prophet.

Both taught that he was superior to Christ and superceeded Him:

Mohammed taught that Jesus was just another of a long line of human prophets, of which he was the last. He taught that he was superior to Christ and superceeded Him.

Joseph Smith also claimed that he had more to boast of than any man ever had and that he was the only man that had ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. He claimed that a large majority of the whole had stood by him. He also claimed that neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. He boasted that no man ever did such a work as he had and claimed that the followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but his own never did.

Joseph Smith even claimed to be a second Mohammed:

In the heat of the Missouri “Mormon War” of 1838, Joseph Smith made the following claim - and threat:

“I will be a second Mohammed to this generation…whose motto, in treating for peace, was 'the Alcoran [Koran] or the Sword,' so shall it be eventually with us, 'Joseph Smith or the Sword."

For more details, please visit the following link:
http://www.saintsalive.com/resourcelibrary/mormonism/qi-will-be-a-second-mohammedq
(Please note: The last time I tried this link, it didn't work. I don't know what type of problems the site was having, but keep trying.)

We need to pray for Glenn Beck, Mormons and all people caught in various cult systems and pseudo-Christian religions.

But to pray, we need to be informed./dmh

To read the article preceding this one click here.

For more of my articles on Glenn Beck and Mormonism,

click here

and here

and here

For more information on Glenn Beck and Israel, click here

(Article copyright Diane M. Hoffmann).

Dr. Diane M. Hoffmann is director of the Link School of Ministries, a Christian Internet Bible School and Theological Reading Room that can be seen at http://www.linkschool21.com . She is the author of numerous Christian seminars and theological articles, tracts, e-books and books, including "The Horizontal Chronology of the Four Gospels".

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