The following is a response to a newspaper piece that was written by Rev. Edward St-Godard and published over a 2 week period. Rev. St-Godard is a Pastor of the Holy Family Church in Woonsocket, RI.
We respond to these articles because they contain many errors which will (and have) cause(d) people to misunderstand the true teachings and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Church of Jesus Christ), also incorrectly know as the Mormon Church. It is our belief that Rev. St-Godard is merely repeating oft told tales that are passed around about Mormons and the The Church of Jesus Christ and has not actually done serious research into the topics he expounds upon. We will demonstrate this with the following commentary.
| Rev. St-Godard Statement |
SHIELDS response to Rev. St-Godard's statements |
| "Most Christians would classify the Mormons as a cult." |
One steps onto dangerous ground when using terms such as "most." We would like to know where Rev. St-Godard got his statistics? And since members of The Church of Jesus Christ are Christians (followers of the Lord Jesus Christ), it probably doesn't matter what "they" think. One rarely thinks of a cult when we are speaking in terms of 14 million members (see next item). |
| The Mormons number 11 million around the world. |
Since we don't know when this piece was written a response to this item is admittedly nit-picking, but more accurately, The Church of Jesus Christ numbers over 14 million. |
| Cult Reason #1: Mormons "reject many of the basic Christian teachings." |
Mormons believe the Bible, not concocted doctrines that came out of the Nicene and later councils. Those doctrines depart from the true doctrines of Christianty, as taught in the Bible. Why does this make us a cult? |
| Cult Reason #1a: "Polygamy is the divine way for marriage." |
It is true that the LDS Church practices Plural Marriage in its early history, but that ceased over 100 years ago. It is believe that we were following the example of Abraham and other early patriarchs and prophets (per revelation to Joseph Smith). Why does this make us a cult? |
| Cult Reason #2: "...they believe that after His ascension into heaven, Christ preached to the American Indians, and founded His Church among them. |
The LDS Church doctrine does not teach that Christ preached to the "American Indian." The Book of Mormon, which the LDS Church believes to be another volume of sacred scripture, teaches that Christ preached to the then descendents of Lehi and others who came out of the Near East about 600 BC. There is a difference. Other people were here when these immigrants arrived. Why does this make us a cult? |
| Cult Reason #3: "Many Gods," "earlier life," and "become a God for our own planet." |
This item requires a long and detailed response, but given time contraints, we shall be brief as possible. It may be that Rev. St-Godard is not as familiar with early Christian documents as he thinks. There is substantial reason to believe that in the early ages of Jewish and Christian beliefs they accepted the idea of more than one God. Likewise, the "earlier life" that Rev. St-Godard refers to is termed "pre-mortal existance" by the LDS. Diefication was certain believed by some of the early Church Fathers. |
| Note on being a cult: |
We wonder why Rev. St-Godard thinks that he gets to define the word "cult." Perhaps he is following the example of another famous critic of the LDS Church in setting up his own defnition. If one reads Webster's Dictionary, it is clear that a followers of Jesus Christ can be considered a cult. It is a word used to poison a conversation. |
| Moroni told [Joseph Smith] that "all existing churches were in error." |
This is untrue. Moroni did not tell Joseph Smith that, or at the very least we have no recorded instance of that statement. Joseph Smith was told that by Jesus Christ in Joseph's "First Vision." This begs the question of the credibility of Rev. St-Godard's accuracy in his statements. This is a fundamental issue. |
| "These plates later dissappeared..." |
Another loaded statement and one that is in error. The plates did not "dissappear." When Joseph finished his translation, which became the Book of Mormon, the plates were returned to the Angel Moroni (who had given them to Joseph). Again, Rev. St-Godard states and error. |
| "These virtuous Nephites were destroyed in a battle near Palmyra in 421 AD. |
Let us first note that while Rev. St-Godard above stated the "plates dissappeared," in the paragraph in which the statement to the left appears, he tells us that they were returned to the Angel Moroni. When you start making up stuff, it can be hard to keep your story straight.
Error 1 (in statement to the left): "virtuous Nephites were destroyed..." By the time 400 years had passed since Christ established his Church among the Nephites they had become a wicked people (as described in the Book of Mormon), and as a result these wicked people were destroyed.
Error 2: "...Nephites were destroyed in a battle near Palmyra in 421 AD." We challenge Rev. St-Godard to provide credible evidence that the final battle took place near Palmyra, NY. Most LDS scholars believe that the battle took place in a hill in Central America and it was well prior to 421 AD. |
| "...63 acre compound..." |
We are unclear as to where Rev. St-Godard comes up with a loaded word like "compound." No such description occurs in LDS Church history. It is clearly a loaded word to, perhaps, give the reader the idea that we were similar to some carefuly guarded groups such as those that exist today in other Churches. A more correct description would be "established cities or towns." |
| Destruction of presses |
As Mayor of Nauvoo, Joseph, along with the full vote of the city council, destroyed one press because it was deemed destructive to the well-being of the community and malicious in its publication. They were acting in full legal right to take the action they did. Whole papers have been written on the legality of their action. Precedent had already been set elsewhere. |
| "Because of the practice of polygamy, Smith was ordered to appear in court in Carthage to face charges of immorality and various other charges." |
This is false. Joseph was not ordered to appear in court in Carthage for those reasons. It was related to the destruction of the press and other trumped up charges, by his wicked enemies. |
| Brigham Young said, "he was leading the Latter Day Saints [sic] out of Illinois to get away from Christians..." |
Where exactly did he say that? And if he did say that, what did he mean by it? The Saints were being mobbed and their leader had been murdered, by people claiming to be Christians." Is this the sort that Rev. St-Godard chooses to fellowship with? We doubt it. If Pres. Young said such a thing, his point was obviously that they needed to get away from those who were claiming to be Christians under a false pretense. |
| Church division |
The vast majority of the then members of The Church of Jesus Christ stayed with the Church. Some apostatized, but we suggest that before Rev. St-Godard casts stones regarding that issue, he ought to look in his own back yard. How many churches are there today that claim to be Christian, but teach different things? How divided are they? |
| "The Church is controlled by a president..." |
Controlled? Another loaded word Rev. St-Godard. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ I am only as controlled as I allow myself to be. On the other hand, I am led by a true prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. |
| "God of this world was a human being, probably Adam..." |
1. I'm just wondering if Rev. St-Godard is aware that the Greek Orthodox Church has the same teaching regarding the nature of God.
2. "probably Adam...?" The Church of Jesus Christ does not teach that. Pres. Young believed that, but this is not and never was canonized doctrine, hence to attempt to make it Church doctrine, Rev. St-Godard is being disengenuous. |
| "The vast majority of people will go to heaven. Only murderers and apostates will go to hell." |
One wonders where Rev. St-Godard is doing his reading. This is a vast over-simplification of LDS doctrine and as stated is clearly false. The LDS do not believe in the hell that traditional Christianity has come up with. |
| "...mystic temple..." |
More loaded words. Why, does Rev. St-Godard apparently feel he needs to poison the well with this sort of silliness. By the way, if they are mystical rites, then so were many of the early Christian rites (mysteries). |
| Terrestrial Heaven presided over by Christ |
This bears checking out. |
| Telestial "Plain" presided over by angels |
"Plain?" Where did that word come from? in 66 years I have never heard the Telestial Kingdom referred to as the Telestial Plain. Check out who presides over this kingdom. |
| Pres. Brigham Young said that slavery was a "divine institution." |
Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated: "It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another." (D. & C. 101:79.) But where the laws of men permit slavery or involuntary servitude, the gospel law requires conformity to the law of the land, rather than rebellion against it, even though the civil requirement does not meet the divine standard. (Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22; 1 Tim. 6:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:18.)
Journal of Discourses, Vol.6, p.180, Ezra T. Benson, January 24, 1858
When he had concluded, he gave me the privilege of talking to the people, which I did for about half-an-hour. I knew that I had to talk in a very pious style, but I endeavoured to preach the Gospel in plainness; and the very moment that I came to the testimony of the Gospel--to declare that Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and the Brigham Young is his successor--good gracious! you could see the devils dancing in the countenances of the people, and the influence ran from heart to heart. However, they kept quiet, though very uneasy. After my remarks, they claimed the privilege of asking questions. One gentleman asked if we believed in slavery. I told him, No, we did not; "but," said I, "we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the Gospel of liberty, for it open the door of freedom and throws off the fetters of bondage."
Journal of Discourses, Vol.10, p.110, Brigham Young, March 8, 1863
I am neither an abolitionist nor a pro-slavery man. If I could have been influenced by private injury to choose one side in preference to the other, I should certainly be against the pro-slavery side of the question, for it was pro-slavery men that pointed the bayonet at me and my brethren in Missouri, and said, "Damn you we will kill you." I have not much love for them, only in the Gospel. I would cause them to repent, if I could, and make them good men and a good community. I have no fellowship for their avarice, blindness, and ungodly actions. To be great, is to be good before the Heavens and before all good men. I will not fellowship the wicked in their sins, so help me God.
Richard W. Young, Conference Report, October 1919, p.148
I was thinking during the noon hour how much reason we all have to be proud of the record of the Church. When you stop to think about it, you must conclude that this Church has been right throughout its whole history upon all of the important moral questions that have affected our welfare. In the nature of things there is not within the United States a people more patriotic than the Latter-day Saints. I know of no other sect that assumes the position that the constitution of the United States was written as it were by the very finger of God. Surely that belief is an inspiration to the highest patriotism. You remember reading in the history of the Church that this people were accused in Missouri of being opposed to slavery. In that slave-holding state such an attitude became one of the reasons of our persecution and drivings.
After fairly extensive research, I can find no statement by Pres. Young where he says that "slavery is a divine institution." We challenge Rev. St-Godard to provide a clear reference for that statement. On the contrary, Pres. Young was against Pro-slavery. Moreover slavery, which was condoned in Missouri, was one of the reasons the LDS were driven therefrom. What can be said about all of the "good Christians" in the Southern States who were pro-slavery? |
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