I noticed the above video in which Frank Turek interviews Brady Blevins (both LDS critics) about the beliefs and teachings of Latter-day Saints. At around 6 minutes into the video Frank poses the question:
Frank: Why is the Mormon church trying to transition from being referred to as Mormons? … Why are they trying to transition to LDS? Where does this all come from?
To which Brady Blevins gives the following answer:
Brady: Well, the word Mormon, I mean, obviously you have the Book of Mormon, and the character Mormon is a hero … but why they are distancing from it, you know, that is kind of a hard question to answer. I know what the answer is according to the Church. But the confusing part of this is that for one … they came out and said, listen, we shouldn’t take the name of Jesus, and cut it out of who we are.
Firstly, that is not a “hard question” to answer at all; and the answer he suggests as “the answer according to the Church” is not correct either. Obviously he doesn’t have a clue what he is talking about. He then continues:
Brady: And they are really trying to push towards this, like, Evangelical sounding, you know, set of words. But the problem is that their church hasn’t always been called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. In fact, there were times it was just called the Church of Christ. Then it was changed later …
Wrong again, altogether wrong! Obviously he doesn’t have a clue what he is talking about. It has always been called “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”—by the specific revelation and commandment of the Lord—through none other than the Prophet Joseph Smith himself. Here are the references:
Doctrine and Covenants 115:
4 For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. [From revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith in April 26, 1838]
Doctrine and Covenants 127:
12 Behold, my prayer to God is that you all may be saved. And I subscribe myself your servant in the Lord, prophet and seer of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. [From an epistle written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in September 1, 1842]
Doctrine and Covenants 128:
21 And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”. [From epistle written by the Prophet Joseph Smith in September 7, 1842]
Doctrine and Covenants 136:
2 Let all the people of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those who journey with them, be organized into companies, with a covenant and promise to keep all the commandments and statutes of the Lord our God”. [From revelation given through the President Brigham Young, Joseph Smith’s successor, in January 14, 1847]
Then the following exchange takes place between Frank Turek and Brady Blevins:
Frank: Wait, wait, wait. But did they change the Book of Mormon to the Book of Latter-day Saints?
Brady: No, not at all.
Frank: Then what is the point? What do they say is the official reason, that they want to get away from the word Mormon, when they are claiming there is an angel by the name of Moroni, and there is a book that we are supposed to add to the Bible called the Book of Mormon? Why are they trying to get away from the name?
The answer is as given above. They are not trying to “get away” from anything. That has always been the “official” name of the Church—as designated by a direct revelation from God, to none other than the Prophet Joseph Smith himself. I am guessing that because it was a long name, some Church members in the earlier history of the Church may have wanted to shorten it for convenience, by substituting the word “Mormon” for the long name—which was not the right thing to do, because the official name was given by revelation from God—and so later on, the leadership of the Church recognised this; and decided, quite rightly, to revert back to the original, official name of the Church, as given by revelation from God. Skipping further comments by Brady, the following exchange takes place:
Frank: Well, yeah that is a problem. I am wondering if it is just the fact that they want to be seen as another Christian denomination, and to take the word Mormon out would help them do that, to say we are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But of course, their Jesus Christ in their theology is not the Jesus Christ of the Bible. And if they are just another Christian denomination, why are they at my door, Brady?
Brady: Exactly!
Exactly wrong! On all accounts! The LDS Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is certainly not part of, or an extension of, “mainstream Christianity”; nor is it attempting to identify itself as such. The LDS claim is that the original Christian church apostatised, and lost the Priesthood, Prophetic, and Apostolic authority that it originally possessed, which needed to be Restored. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Restoration, by revelation, by prophecy, and by the ministration of angels, of that original and true Church—possessing all the Priesthood, Prophetic, and the Apostolic authority of the original Church—including the ability to receive revelation; lead, guide, and direct the Church by revelation; and add scripture to the Canon. Frank then continues:
Frank: You know, if they come to my door and I say, “Well, yeah, I am a Christian.” And they say, “Well, we are Christians, too.” Okay, have a nice day! Hey, what else do we need to talk about? Right? But no, they want to bring in a new book, or several books. They want to bring in new theology. … But the theology that they are bringing forward is not theism, it is polytheism.
Talking a whole load of nonsense. First of all, when Latter-day Saints identify themselves as “Christian”, it is according to the biblical definition of the word “Christian”, not his definition. The biblical definition of a Christian is someone who is a true disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ:
Acts 11:
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
That is the biblical definition of the word “Christian”. When Latter-day Saints identify themselves as “Christians”, it is in accordance with the biblical definition, not his definition. It means that we identify ourselves as true followers and disciples of Jesus Christ (by believing in him, and keeping his commandments). It doesn’t mean that we want to be identified as part of his mainstream, apostate Christianity, where he belongs. Secondly, we certainly believe in and follow the biblical Jesus; he is the one who doesn’t. If he followed the biblical Jesus, he would recognise and join the true Church that Jesus has established in the last days: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—and not oppose it and fight against it, like he does. And lastly, Latter-day Saints are very much monotheists. We worship the one true God of the Bible. Belief in the deification of man, or theosis, was a well established doctrine in the early Christian Church, and was believed in by all the Early Church Fathers (link). It doesn’t mean that we become supreme beings independent of God the Father, or his Son Jesus Christ. We become divine, deified; but we remain subject to, and subordinate to them; and continue to worship them for the rest of eternity as our God.
For the rest of the conversation, he raises several silly objections, or asks dumb questions, that would be too tedious to attempt to unpack and discuss in detail; so I will briefly mention a few points. At about 30 minutes into the video he brings up Galatians 18: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preach to you, let them be under God’s curse” (his quote). The answer to that is that LDS theology is not “another gospel”; it is the gospel that Jesus taugh. It is his heretical, false, apostate theology that is “another gospel”.
At around 45 minutes into the video Frank raises this objection:
Frank: So, here is a question that I have asked several times, and I haven’t gotten a good answer: Why do they think gold plates are a miracle? Because gold plates I could make, if I had the right materials, in my garage.
That is the dumbest question ever! You have to be a genius in stupidity to ask such a dumb question! The “miracle” is in how Joseph Smith obtained the plates—by means of an angelic visitation—not the “plates” themselves. The “miracle” is also in how Joseph Smith translated the plates—by the gift and power of God—not the “plates” themselves. That is where the “miracle” lies.
He also raises the question of why the “plates” were not preserved, as evidence for the Book of Mormon. There is two answers to that: The first is that Joseph Smith was constantly being harassed by hostile elements who wanted to obtain the plates from him, which would have made it impossible for him to preserve them. The second answer is that even if the plates were preserved, if you are disinclined to believe, you would still not believe, even if the plates were preserved. Religion is ultimately a matter of faith, belief, not “evidence”. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16); not “He that has evidence”.
And finally, at around 50 into the video, Frank asks a question from Brady about the idea of “praying” to know if “Mormonism is true”. This is what he says:
Frank: Let me just ask you one other question. … The question that often is asked by Mormons to non-believers is, you know, “pray that you get the burning in the bosom, and it will tell you if … Mormonism is true”. It is a very subjective test. But do we do the same thing when we like to refer to the witness of the Holy Spirit? Like, what would you say to that?
To this question then Brady gives a very disjointed and incoherent answer. The correct answer to that question is, firstly, that it is not about “Mormonism”. That is a promise that is contained within the Book of Mormon itself, and it is specifically about the Book of Mormon. Here is the quote:
Moroni 10:
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things [Book of Mormon], if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
That is a promise that is contained within the Book of Mormon, and it is specifically about the Book of Mormon; it is not about “Mormonism”. And it is about prayerfully reading the Book of Mormon, not just “praying” about it. And the promise is affirmed by the Bible:
John 15:
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
John 16:
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
If these folks have a problem with that, then their problem is with the Bible, and with the words of Jesus, not with the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is true. It is the word of God; no question about it. And the Holy Ghost bears witness to its truth. If it is read sincerely, impartially, and prayerfully, without prejudice, and with a genuine desire to know of its truth, that truth will be revealed and made known to all sincere seekers after truth, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
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