Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

By Mormon Readers

Q: I am disgusted with your web site, and am saddened that you feel the need to bash Mormons. Mormons don't attack Christians, so why are you attacking us? Why are you bitter against the Church and publish such hateful things? If you must leave the Church, why must you try to harm our faith?

A: First of all, my purpose is not to "bash" people, but to help people. I have a deep love for Mormon people because virtually every relative I have is a member of the Church. I think few could love Mormons as much as I do. I found something incredibly wonderful that I want to share with my people. If you read my testimony on my home page you must see how I was an active Mormon and am well aware of the joys of being an active member. Yet the joy I discovered in the cleansing power of the Lord so far surpasses anything that I ever experienced in the Church as to be beyond all comparison. The hopelessness that I experienced as a latter-day saint is not something that is uncommon among Mormons I know who take their religion seriously. The Mormons I know who are the most serious about pleasing the Lord, are also the ones who realize that they are infinitely far away from that goal—and that brings utter despair to such genuine latter-day saints. I know first hand what that feeling is like, and I also know what incredible joy there is in knowing for certain that I am pardoned of all my sin for time and all eternity. There is no comparison. I wouldn’t go back to the hopelessness of Mormonism for billions of dollars. I am not bitter against the church at all, but on the contrary, I am full of joy that I want to share out of love for my people. I want you to have what I have found. I did not deserve it, but I received mercy. I am not trying to force it on you, but I am trying to share it with you. Further you must understand that by my beliefs, you are in danger of condemnation, and I don’t want that to happen to you. It would be supremely unloving of me if I didn’t warn you (as well as proclaim the joy to you). I feel much like the way the apostle, Paul, felt about his people:

(Romans 10:1-15) Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for [Mormons] is, that they might be saved. {2} For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. {3} For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. {4} For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. {5} For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. {6} But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) {7} Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) {8} But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; {9} That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. {13} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. {14} How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? {15} And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

If it is "bashing" to want for you to be saved, then, fine; call me a "basher" all you want. I do believe that the doctrines of your church are false, but I have no interest in simply having a debate or winning an argument with you. That does no one any good. Rather, I want you to be forgiven of all your sins:

(Acts 26:18 KJV) To open their eyes, and to turn [Mormons] from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Secondly, to say that Mormons do not attack other religions is absolute hypocrisy. You have some 60,000 missionaries out there who visit people and tell them that the Lord told Joseph Smith in a vision that our churches are "all wrong" and are an "abomination in his sight" (PofGP, Joseph Smith 1:19) If folks study the Book of Mormon further they learn that all churches that are not the one true "church of the Lamb" (ostensibly The Mormon Church) are part of the "church of the devil" (1 Nephi 14:10). This is an outright attack on Christianity. It gets worse. Prior to the 1990 changes in the temple endowment ceremony, a Christian pastor is portrayed in a drama as being hired by the devil to preach the concept of only one God, and to preach the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. Christianity was mocked in this way in the most sacred of all LDS ceremonies! Another example occurs every summer in Manti, Utah. A pageant is held at the temple grounds there where Christian denominations are mocked and ridiculed as all being wrong during the musical drama. How dare you pretend that you do not attack other religions! There are few religions in the world as exclusive as The LDS Church, which insists that they are the only true religion and are the only ones who have the priesthood and the keys to the kingdom of God.

Thirdly, it is Biblical for me to boldly preach the gospel and to speak out against that which is false when that deception is leading its victims to destruction. Paul and Jesus both preached truth boldly, regardless of whether it offended people or not. Their love constrained them to speak the truth in love even when people did not want to hear that they were wrong. They both offended people wherever they went:

(Mat 23:29-33 KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, {30} And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. {31} Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. {32} Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. {33} Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

I haven’t yet called you a "viper," but clearly Jesus demonstrated that love sometimes seems very harsh. Consider Paul:

(Gal 1:6-10 KJV) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: {7} Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. {8} But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. {9} As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. {10} For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

(Gal 4:16 KJV) Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

My Mormon friend, I care about you. That is why I want warn you about the hopelessness of Mormon doctrine, and also tell you about the joy that you can have in Christ Jesus if you will humble yourself to receive His grace as an undeserved gift, not claiming even an ounce of the credit for your redemption. Just choose to believe that He loves you that much. Receive the gift by faith alone. The joy is beyond all description, and He will transform your life.

Your friend,

Mark Champneys