Crazy Mormon Beliefs: Baptism for the Dead
Have you ever heard that Mormons baptize dead people? What’s the deal?
The first part of the answer has to do with baptism in general. When Jesus was on the earth, he led by example and was baptized by John the Baptist. He also taught that a man must be baptized (”born of water”) in order to enter the kindgom of God when asked in John 3.
So what about all the people who never even had the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lifetimes? And what about the others, who may have been baptized but not by the proper authority?
Mormons believe that because God is our Heavenly Father, he would not condemn those who never had the opportunity to be baptized or understand the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, He prepared a way by which these people could receive the necessary ordinance of baptism to return to live with Him again. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often a descendant of the person, is baptized on behalf of the individual in a Mormon temple. In other words, the baptism if performed by proxy with a living person standing in for the deceased individual.
Well, what if that person doesn’t want to be baptized a Mormon? Mormons believe that the central part of God’s plan is free agency, or the right to choose. Each person will have the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism done on their behalf.
Many other Christians say that this just isn’t Biblical! In fact, the apostle Paul wrote about this practice in 1 Corinthians 15:29. These same Christians often say that those who never even heard about Jesus during their lifetime, at no fault of their own, are therefore damned.
When you really think about it, what’s a crazier belief? 1) That a loving God would damn people who never had the chance to accept Jesus in this lifetime or 2) That a loving God prepared a way for every one of His children to have an equal chance to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and receive the necessary ordinances to return to His kingdom?
You be the judge.
Crazy Mormon Belief: More Scripture
Ok, so what’s the deal with Mormons having more scripture than the Bible? Haven’t they ever read Revelation 22:18:
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.
That seems pretty clear to me! But wait a second, let’s think through this for a minute. John wrote the book of Revelation that is quoted above. Many mainstream Christian scholars now acknowledge that Revelation was likely not the last book of the Bible that was written. Actually, it was probably the first one John wrote, even before the Gospel of John. Does that mean that John will have the plagues of God added to him?
I guess I should also mention that the Bible wasn’t compiled at the time John wrote that in Revelation and wouldn’t be for a long time. Does that mean that John was just writing that for the Book of Revelation and not for the entire Bible then?
Ok, so maybe this isn’t a crazy belief that the Mormons have. Of course John won’t have any plagues added to him, because YES, John was just referring to the Book of Revelation when he wrote that and not the entire Bible. Therefore, this scripture does not rule out further scripture.
Still not convinced, huh? What if we take a look at Deuteronomy 4:2:
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
When you compare that scripture with the one in Revelation, there are a lot of similarities. In fact, it sounds like the same warning. But it’s obvious to all Biblical readers that the one in Deuteronomy is referring only to that book of scripture and not the Bible up to that point (or else the rest of the Bible would be null and void).
In the Book of Mormon, in 2 Nephi Chapter 29, the Lord reveals:
Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles
of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
So, what are the key takeaways then? First, nothing in the Bible precludes there being additional scripture if the Lord so commands. Second, the Lord loves and has guided His children in all parts of the world, not just Jerusalem. As a result, this “crazy Mormon belief” of having additional scripture isn’t so crazy after all!
Crazy Mormon Belief: Prophets Today
One of the other crazy Mormon beliefs is that they believe there is a living prophet today. Don’t they know that there are no prophets after Christ? Just look at what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Actually, what’s most interesting about these scriptures is the fact that Jesus tells his disciples how to distinguish between false prophets (”evil fruit”) and true prophets (”good fruit”). If there were to be no more prophets after Him, couldn’t He just have said, “Anybody claiming to be a prophet is lying.” But instead, He taught us how to recognize a true prophet by the good fruit he bears.
In Amos 3:7, it reads “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, it should come as no surprise that the Lord continues to speak to His children. As a loving Heavenly Father, he wants to help lead and guide His children in this tumultous world. The words of a living prophet can help us avoid the pitfalls and dangers of the world, and return safely to live with our Heavenly Father again.
In fact, I couldn’t agree more with the 19th-century philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson when he boldly declared to the Harvard Divinity School, “It is my duty to say to you that the need was never greater for new revelation than now. The doctrine of inspiration is lost. Miracles, prophesy, the holy life, exist as ancient history only. Men have come to speak of revelation of somewhat long ago given and done, as if God were dead. It is the office of a true teacher to show us that God is, not was, that He speaketh, not spake.”
Angel Moroni on Mormon Temples
One of the most common questions I receive about LDS Temples is “What is the statue on top?” I have heard many guesses, perhaps the most common being Angel Gabriel, but few non-LDS people know that is in fact the angel Moroni.
Why is the angel Moroni on Latter-day Saint temples? The primary reason is because of his tremendous significance in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the preparation of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in its fulness to the earth.
After being placed on the Salt Lake Temple after its completion in 1893, the statue of the angel Moroni has since been placed on many other LDS temples. It has become an unofficial symbol for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is recognized throughout the world.
Latter-day Saints consider Revelation 14:6 to be a reference to the Angel Moroni when John recorded, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.”
Others Saw the Angel Moroni
Though we know the most about Joseph Smith’s visits from the angel Moroni, other early Latter-day Saints also shared their experiences. For example:
The Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon–Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris–recorded their experience in their testimony which is now printed in the beginning of the Book of Mormon.
Who else saw the angel Moroni?
- Emma Smith (Joseph’s wife)
- Hyrum Smith (Joseph’s brother)
- John Taylor (3rd president of the Church)
- Heber C. Kimball (apostle)
- Luke S. Johnson (apostle)
- Zera Pulsipher (missionary)
- John and Rhoda Greene (missionary)
- Oliver Granger (missionary)
- W.W. Phelps (leader and songwriter)
- Lucy Harris (wife of witness Martin Harris)
- Harrison Burgess
Angel Moroni Visits Joseph Smith Each Year
Interestingly, Joseph Smith was not permitted to remove the golden plates in 1823 after his initial visits from the angel Moroni. Instead, the Lord intended to prepare him further.
Each year on September 22, Joseph Smith returned to the same place where he would receive instruction from the angel Moroni. In his own words, Joseph describes:
Accordingly, as I had been commanded, I went at the end of each year, and at each time I found the same messenger there, and received instruction and intelligence from him at each of our interviews, respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how and in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days.
What an amazing preparation, receiving instruction from an angel of the Lord. Such preparation was necessary for Joseph Smith to fulfill his divine calling as a prophet in the latter-days and to help restore the Church of Jesus Christ once again upon the earth.
Finally, in his annual visit with Moroni in 1827, Joseph Smith was permitted to receive the plates and begin translating.
Angel Moroni Visits Joseph Smith
In 1823, as Joseph Smith prayed for forgiveness for his sins, he experienced a visit from a heavenly messenger. Joseph Smith said:
While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.
Who is Moroni?
According to the “Words of Mormon” in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon writes that he was preparing to give the plates ot his son Moroni in approximately 385 A.D.:
And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people.
After witnessing and recording the destruction of the Nephite people (in the final book of the Book of Mormon), Moroni wanders for a number of years by himself. Finally, before Moroni died, he buried the plates in the Hill Cumorah under the direction of the Lord in preparation for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon nearly 1400 years later.
Moroni gave his final testimony at the end of the Book of Mormon:
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.
Many people outside of the LDS faith aren’t quite sure how to say the name Moroni (More-Own-Eye).
President Thomas S. Monson on 1830 Book of Mormon
In this video clip, Thomas S. Monson, president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discusses the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and its printing in 1830.
To request your free copy of the Book of Mormon. visit http://www.mormon.org/. To read more from President Thomas S. Monson, visit http://www.lds.org/.
Were there changes from the 1830 Book of Mormon?
A common question (or criticism) of the Book of Mormon is whether there have been changes to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon. The answer is “yes”, there have been changes. However, it’s important to understand the nature of and reasons for the changes.
First, let’s review the translation process. Joseph Smith, separated from the scribe, would read aloud the translation. The scribe (who changed periodically throughout the translation) would record what he/she heard Joseph say. If you read aloud 500+ pages to a friend who was writing, do you think errors would result?
Second, a scribe transcribed from the original manuscript to the printer’s manuscript. A study by FAIR found that on average, scribes made two to three textual changes per manuscript page. Again, if you quickly transcribed 500+ pages by hand, do you anticipate that there would be mistakes?
Next, after the printer’s manuscript was delivered to the printer, the printer added in a lot of punctuation to the text. Some of this punctuation was not in accordance with the original translation.
Finally, the press was typeset by hand for each of the 500+ pages of the 1830 Book of Mormon. Undoubtedly, more human errors influenced the final text.
To me, there are three important takeaways from this discussion. First, there were human errors in every step of the translation, transcript and printing process. Second, the “changes” to the Book of Mormon that critics point to are defined almost entirely by ever-so-slight punctuation or grammatical changes to correct for these mistakes. Third and most importantly, changes in the text from the 1830 Book of Mormon show only that there was human error, and in no way influences the fact that the Book of Mormon was brought forth through the gift of God.
On the title page of the Book of Mormon are these words:
And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ.
Wise advice indeed. I would encourage you to pick up a replica of the 1830 Book of Mormon and a current copy and review the “changes” for yourself.
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