DOES MORMONISM ATTACK CHRISTIANITY? by Michael R. Ash While the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We should note that history reveals that Mor- (Mormon) claims that Jesus Christ stands at the head mon founder Joseph Smith launched his attack of their church, many anti-Mormons have vocally chal- on Christianity long before there were any “Anti- lenged their claim to Christianity. Anti-Mormon publi- Mormonism” ministries.4 cations are found in the thousands. There are anti-Mor- To support this premise these critics generally quote mon books, pamphlets, radio programs, web sites, and the 1838 account of Joseph’s Smith first vision, in which even movies. Protestors are found at temple open Jesus responded to Joseph’s prayer inquiring which houses, conferences, and pageants. Anti-Mormon semi- church to join. nars are sponsored in Protestant chapels and members are instructed in the evils of Mormonism while LDS I was answered that I must join none of them, marriage customs and dress practice are criticized. Lat- for they were all wrong; and the Personage who ter-day Saints have even been denied the opportunity addressed me said that all their creeds were an to assist other Christian organizations in volunteer abomination in his sight; that those professors work. were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, Although the LDS Church has not returned fire in like- they teach for doctrines the commandments of manner, some anti-Mormons have claimed that they are men, having a form of godliness, but they deny not attacking Mormonism, but are instead defending the power thereof.”5 themselves against Mormonism for launching the first attack—against “Christianity.” The following examples This paper attempts to examine four related issues: show that such a claim is common among the anti-Mor- mon community. 1. Did Jesus—according to Joseph Smith’s first vi- sion—claim that Christianity was worthless and The fact is, proving Mormonism to be a false Christians were corrupt? Does Mormonism teach doctrine is not an attack but a defense of the that other Churches are without value? Christian faith. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism made the first attack by claiming 2. Did the Latter-day Saints strike the first blow? Were that all Christian denominations are an abomi- the first anti-Mormons simply defending themselves nation in God’s sight.1 against the attacking Mormons? Mormonism is actively anti-Christian; from its 3. Is the LDS claim to Christianity a recent invention inception the LDS church has deliberately, of Latter-day Saints? Did early Latter-day Saints openly, and officially attacked Christianity.2 deny that Mormons are Christian, or did they in- tentionally attempt to distinguish themselves as First, it was Joseph Smith who attacked the non-Christian? Christian churches, the “professors of Chris- tianity” first. We did not attack you first. I 4. Why would Latter-day Saints use harsh ter- was simply responding to that attack.3 minology when referring to other Christian de- nominations? The Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research 2 Does Mormonism Attack Christianity DID JESUS—ACCORDING TO JOSEPH contemporaries—also felt that the churches of his day were far removed from the Christianity of the New Tes- SMITH’S FIRST VISION—CLAIM THAT tament. CHRISTIANITY WA S WORTHLESS AND I [Jefferson] am a real Christian, that is to say CHRISTIANS WERE CORRUPT? DOES a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, very differ- MORMONISM TEACH THAT OTHER ent from the preachers... of the gospel, while CHURCHES ARE WITHOUT VALUE? they draw all their characteristic dogmas from what its author never said or did. All their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; They have compounded from the heathen mys- that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but teries a system beyond the comprehension of their hearts are far from me, they teach for doc- man of which Jesus, were he to return on earth, trines the commandments of men, having a form would not recognize one feature.... It is the of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”6 speculations of crazy theologians which have made a Babel out of religion.14 One anti-Mormon has written: “Do the LDS teach that The claim that 1820 Christianity embraced non-Bibli- all other churches’ beliefs/creeds are an abomination to cal views was not unique in Joseph’s milieu15 and nei- God? Answer: Yes!”7 By lumping “beliefs” and “creeds” together, this critics mixes truth with untruth. While ther was it an attack on traditional Christian denomi- some critics might interpret the words of Joseph’s vi- nations. Instead, it was a commentary on the corrup- sion as a strong condemnation of other branches of tion of doctrines that had been introduced through cen- Christianity, the primary rebuke is against the extra- turies of apostasy. “They draw near to me with their biblical creeds that were formed long after the New lips,” said Christ in Joseph’s vision, “but their hearts Testament era. In Joseph’s vision, Christ calls these are far from me, they teach for doctrines the command- creeds an “abomination” which can also mean “defiled” ments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny or “polluted.”8 These creeds were often formulated by the power thereof.” When Joseph related his vision to a argument and debate and frequently insert concepts Methodist minister a few days after it had happened, that are not found in the Bible.9 Gary Gillum also notes: he was surprised by the response. Truth and the things of God are comprehended He treated my communication not only lightly, by study, faith, reason, science, experience, per- but with great contempt, saying it was all of the sonal revelation, and revelation received devil, that there were no such things as visions through the prophets of God. Creeds, on the or revelations in these days; that all such things other hand, tend to delimit this process.10 had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.16 Joseph Smith later expounded upon his reservations Many nineteenth century Christians not only disbe- with the creeds of traditional Christianity. lieved in miracles (denied “the power thereof”) but be- I cannot believe in any of the creeds of the dif- lieved that all supernatural effects were either fraudu- 17 One nineteenth-century Meth- ferent denominations, because they all have lent or from the Devil. odist minister and LDS critic ridiculed the Mormons some things in them I cannot subscribe to, for professing “to have power to work miracles such as though all of them have some truth; I want to the interpretation of languages which they have never come up into the presence of God, and learn all learned, healing the sick and raising the dead....”18 An- things; but the creeds set up stakes, and say, other contemporary anti-Mormon, and Reverend pro- “Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further;” fessor of divinity at Kemper College in Missouri, wrote which I cannot subscribe to.11 in regards to Mormonism: “For the superstitious lover of the marvelous, there are miracles, ecstasies, visions, In Joseph’s vision Jesus was calling the creeds—not 19 1820 Christians or churches—“an abomination.” Those and revelations....” who professed such creeds were “corrupt” which also While Joseph and subsequent Latter-day Saints have means to “lose purity.”12 In other words traditional Christianity had truths mixed with error. While Tho- taught that traditional Christianity is an apostate form mas Jefferson, like many other “enlightened” Americans of the Biblical Christianity, they have not “attacked discounted modern-day miracles,13 he—like many of his Christianity” nor claimed that other denominations are void of Christian precepts. Copyright © 2002 by FAIR Michael R. Ash 3 It should be noted here, that the LDS Church is “Chris- Latter-day Saints believe that other Christian churches tian” (despite the claims of some of the more vehement are bereft of spiritual enlightenment? Peterson and critics) and therefore cannot be charged with Ricks note: “attack[ing] Christianity.” To make such a claim begs the question: Is Mormonism Christian? This is a topic What the Lord told Joseph Smith in the grove for another paper, but interested readers would be ad- was that the churches and creeds of 1820 were vised to consult Offenders for a Word by Drs. Peterson defective and distorted by error. He did not say and Ricks who conclusively demonstrate that The that they were entirely and utterly wrong (since Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is indeed they preserved much truth), nor did he say that “Christian.”20 each and every Christian church would always be wrong.... He did not say that Christianity, as To support the claim that Mormons “attack Christian- such, is false.27 ity” critics generally quote from a number of LDS works (primarily the Journal of Discourses) that contains such Those critics, who wish to paint Mormons as hostile to statements such as the following: other Christians, fail to notice the quotes from early LDS leaders that acknowledge that righteous Christians Brigham Young: When the light came to me I of all denominations have portions of the truth. saw that all the so-called Christian world was groveling [sic] in darkness.21 B.H. Roberts: Let it be understood, we are not brought necessarily into antagonism with the Brigham Young: With a regard to true theol- various sects of Christianity as such. So far as ogy, a more ignorant people never lived than they have retained fragments of Christian truth the present so-called Christian world.22 — and each of them has some measure of John Taylor: What! Are Christians ignorant? truth—that far they are acceptable unto the Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute Lord; and it would be poor policy for us to con- beast.23 tend against them without discrimination.