Brigham Young's Sermon on Mormon Intolerance of Christendom - 6/23/1867
The Latter-day Saints believe in the doctrine that was taught by the
prophets, by Jesus, and by his Apostles. Much has been said and written
concerning the Church that was organized in the days of the incarnation
of the Savior, and there has been a great deal of speculation as to the
faith of that Church and the doings of its members. To tell what this
religion, which we call the gospel of salvation, comprises, would
require more than a lifetime. (1)
It would take more than our lifetime to learn it, and if it were
learned by us we should not have time to tell it. In it is incorporated
all the wisdom and knowledge that have ever been imparted to man, and
when man has passed through the little space of time called life, he
will find that he has only just commenced to learn the principles of
this great salvation. (2) In
the early days of the Christian Church we understand that there was a
good deal of speculation among its members with regard to their belief
and practice, and the propagation of these speculative ideas created
divisions and schisms. Even in the days of the Apostles there was
evidently considerable division, for we read that some were for Paul,
some for Apollos, and others for Cephas. The people in those days had
their favorites, who taught them peculiar doctrines not generally
received and promulgated. The Apostles had the truth, and thought that
they were so established in it in their day that they really had the
power to unite the Church together in all temporal matters, as Jesus
prayed they might be, but they found themselves mistaken. Have we any
proof of this? Yes; you recollect reading that the Apostles assembled
themselves together to break bread and to administer; and they did
administer from house, and from congregation to congregation, the words
of life and the ordinances of the gospel. (3)
They thought they had power to make the people of one heart and one
mind with regard to temporal things, and that they could amalgamate the
feelings of the people sufficiently to organize them as one family. And
the people sold their possessions and laid the price at the Apostles'
feet, and they had all things in common. There is no doubt that this is
a correct doctrine, and can be practiced to the benefit of a community
at large, if believed and understood. (4)
But who has got the doctrine; who has eyes to see, ears to hear, and a
heart to believe? Who has the authority and the capability to organize
such a society? The Apostles thought they had, but when Ananias and
Sapphira fell dead because they had lied, not only to man but to the
Holy Ghost, in saying they had laid their all at the feet of the
Apostles when they had only laid part there, a great fear fell upon the
people, and they dispersed. Have we any history that the people ever
assembled in a like capacity afterwards? I think you cannot find it.
After the days of the Apostles, when the Council of Nice was called,
they then and there determined what they considered to be correct and
scriptural and what they would lay aside, but that sure word of
prophecy which Jesus had shed forth into the hearts of those who
believed on him seemed to be so mixed up and interwoven with darkness
and unbelief, that they could not come to understanding and receive the
full testimony of Jesus. So the old Christians lived, and so they spent
their days down to the days of the Reformation. (5)
If we have eyes to see, we can understand at once, the difficulties
that the Apostles had to encounter. If the people have lived according
to the gospel that was delivered to them, the Apostles would have had
power to accomplish a great deal more than they did, although there can
be no doubt but they were mistaken with regard to the time of the
winding up scene, thinking it was much nearer than it really was, and
they might have made mistakes in other respects. Many of the
difficulties they had to encounter, we are not troubled with. We have
not only the sure word of prophecy delivered in the days of the
Apostles, but we actually have that surer word of prophecy delivered to
us through the Prophet Joseph, that in the last days the Lord would
gather Israel, build up Zion, and establish His kingdom upon the earth.
This is a more sure word of prophecy than was delivered in the days of
the Apostles, and is a greater work than they had to perform. (6)
The few hints that I have dropped clearly show, I think, to all who are
acquainted with its history, how these schisms and divisions have been
introduced into the Christian world. For more than seventeen hundred
years the Christian nations have been struggling, striving, praying,
and seeking to know and understand the mind and will of God. Why have
they not had it? Can you tell me why it is there has not been a
succession of the Apostleship from one to another through all these
seventeen centuries, by which the people might have been led, guided,
and directed, and have received wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to
enable them to build up the Kingdom of God, and to give counsel
concerning it until the whole earth should be enveloped in the
knowledge of God? "O, yes, it was the apostacy." Very true, if it had
not been for these schisms such might not have been the case. I have
taken the liberty of telling the Latter-day Saints in this and other
places something with regard to the Apostles in this our day. It is
true that we have a greater assurance of the Kingdom and the power of
God being upon the earth than was possessed by the Apostles anciently,
and yet right here in the Quorum of the Twelve, if you ask one of its
members what he believes with regard to the Deity, he will tell you
that he believes in those great and holy principles which seem to be
exhibited to man for his perfection and enjoyment in time and in
eternity. But do you believe in the existence of a personage called
God? "No, I do not," says this Apostle. So you see there are schisms in
our day. Do you think there was any in the days of the Apostles? Yes,
worse than this. They were a great deal more tenacious than we are. (7)
We have another one in the Quorum of the Twelve who believes that
infants actually have the spirits of some who have formerly lived on
the earth, and that this is their resurrection, which is a doctrine so
absurd and foolish that I cannot find language to express my sentiments
in relation to it. It is as ridiculous as to say that God - the Being
whom we worship - is principle without personage. I worship a person. I
believe in the resurrection, and I believe the resurrection was
exhibited to perfection in the person of the Savior, who rose on the
third day after his burial. This is not all. We have another one of
these Apostles, right in this Quorum of the Twelve, who, I understand,
for fifteen years, has been preaching on the sly in the chimney corner
to the brethren and sisters with whom he has had influence, that the
Savior was nothing more than a good man, and that his death had nothing
to do with your salvation or mine. The question might arise, if the
ancient Apostles believed doctrines as absurd as these, why were they
not handed down to after generations that they might avoid the dilemma,
the vortex, the whirlpool of destruction and folly? We will not say
what they did or did not believe and teach, but they did differ one
from another, and they would not visit each other. This was not through
the perfection of the gospel, but through the weakness of man. (8)
The principles of the gospel are perfect, but are the Apostles who
teach it perfect? No, they are not. Now, bringing the two together,
what they taught is not for me to say, but it is enough to say this,
that through the weaknesses in the lives of the Apostles many were
caused to err. Our historians and ministers tell us that the church
went into the wilderness, but they were in the wilderness all the time.
They had the way marked out to get out of the wilderness and go
straightforward into the Kingdom of God, but they took various paths,
and the two substantial churches that remain - a remnant from the
apostles, that divided, are now called the Holy Catholic Church and the
Greek Church. (9)
You recollect reading in the Revelations of John what the angel said to
John, when he was on the Isle of Patmos, about the Seven Churches. What
was the matter with those Churches? They were not living according to
the light that had been exhibited. Do the Latter-day Saints live
according to the light that has been exhibited to them? No, they do
not. Did the ancient saints live according to the revelations given
through the Savior and written by the Apostles, and the revelations
given through the Apostles, and left on record for the Saints to read?
No, they did not. We may say there is some difference between the days
of Jesus and the Apostles and these days. Then, Jesus said, "Go ye into
all the world and preach the gospel to every creature;" proffer this
gospel to all the inhabitants of the earth. That was a day of
scattering and dispersion for those who believed in the Savior. When we
come to discriminate between the former and the Latter-day Saints we
shall find there was a little difference in their callings and duties,
and in many points that we may say pertain to our temporal lives. Not
in the doctrine of baptism, the laying on of hands for the reception of
the Holy Ghost, nor in the gifts of the gospel. There is no difference
in these things, but there is a difference in regard to the temporal
duties devolving upon us. In those days the command was "Go to the
nations of the earth;" in these days it is "Come from the nations of
the earth." Do you not see the difference? Read the revelations of the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants given through Joseph, and you will find
that the burden of the gathering of the House of Israel, the building
up of Zion, and the sanctifying of the people, and the preparing for
the coming of the Son of Man is upon the elders of this church. (10)
Soon after the death of Jesus the word He gave to His Apostles was to
go and preach the gospel to the nations, that all might be benefitted
thereby; but now, it is to gather up the House of Israel, and the
fulness of the Gentiles, and bring them home to Zion, and to the lands
of their fathers, that they may receive their inheritances on the lands
given to them of the Lord in ancient days. So you see there is some
difference between the duties and callings of the Saints in former and
in latter days. (11)
When the Lord called upon Joseph he was but a boy - a child, only about
fourteen years of age. He was not filled with traditions; his mind was
not made up to this, that, or the other. I very well recollect the
reformation which took place in the country among the various
denominations of Christians - the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians,
and others – when Joseph was a boy. Joseph's mother, one of his
brothers, and one, if not two, or his sisters were members of the
Presbyterian Church, and on this account the Presbyterians hung to the
family with great tenacity. And in the midst of these revivals among
the religious bodies, the invitation, "Come and join our church," was
often extended to Joseph, but more particularly from the Presbyterians.
Joseph was naturally inclined to be religious, and being young, and
surrounded with this excitement, no wonder that he became seriously
impressed with the necessity of serving the Lord. But as the cry on
every hand was, "Lo, here is Christ," and "Lo, there!" Said he, "Lord,
teach me, that I may know for myself, who among these are right." And
what was the answer? "They are all out of the way; they have gone
astray, and there is none that doeth good, no not one." When he found
out that none were right, he began to inquire of the Lord what was
right, and he learned for himself. Was he aware of what was going to be
done? By no means. He did not know what the Lord was going to do with
him, although He had informed him that the Christian churches were all
wrong, because they had not the Holy Priesthood, and had strayed from
the holy commandments of the Lord, precisely as the children of Israel
did. (12)
They were the children of promise, of whom the Lord had said - "They
shall be called by my name, and I will save them;" and for generations
he had striven to do so. When pursued by the hosts of Pharaoh He had
delivered them from Egyptian bondage; He had destroyed the Hittites and
other heathen nations, and had given them possession of the land of
Canaan, and in every way had tried to bless them; yet they would not be
blessed, and in the Prophet Isaiah's writings we read that they had
transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the
everlasting covenants. Do you think the Gentile Christian nations have
rebelled? I know they have. Take, for instance, the sayings of Jesus of
Nazareth, the Savior of the world, as found in this book - the Bible.
He commanded His Apostles to go to all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature, and he that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved. (13)
How many methods of baptism were practised in those days? Just as many
as there were saviors - one. How many methods of laying on of hands for
the Holy Ghost? One. How many methods of obtaining the spirit of
prophecy and the gifts of healing and the discerning of spirits? One.
One God, one faith, and one Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and one only.
Well, the Apostles went and preached this gospel, yet one would vary a
little on one point, and another on another, and those who took the
gospel and ran here and there would introduce items of doctrine that
were altogether imaginary. Do we find any curious ideas advanced in our
day? Yes, I can relate a circumstance that I once heard myself, from
one of the first elders in this church. He was preaching to the people
on the principle of adultery, and told them that, according to the law
of the Lord, whosever commits adultery shall have his blood shed. But
the idea striking him that millions had committed this crime whose
blood had never been shed, he thought this could not be correct, and so
to improve it he said if their blood was not shed in this life it would
be in the resurrection. What an absurdity! There is no blood there.
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Does not this show
to you how these little things will creep into the Church? Have we the
power and authority and the method of detecting every such error? We
have. Do you know what they are? Some of you do, and if you do not I
shall not tell you to-day. But we are in possession of the means by
which to detect every error that comes into the church, and to decide
satisfactorily on every point, and to decide what is and what is not
true. (14)
The gospel is a fountain of truth, and truth is what we are after. We
have embraced the truth - namely, the gospel of the son of God. Its
first principles are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of
our sins, then go down into the waters of baptism for the remission of
our sins, (15) and have hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy Ghost, (16)
which will lead us into all truth. If there are any of my friends or
enemies here who do not know what "Mormonism" is, I am telling them. We
believe in God our Father. This leads me right to another point that I
have not much time to talk about. I recollect preaching once in the old
bowery with regard to our Father and God, the Being we worship and whom
we think so much of. There was a Baptist minister present; he was
staying at my house. He was a kind, friendly man, and was on his way to
the gold mines. He was sitting beside me. I wanted to leave him in a
puzzle. I would not tell him, but brought him right to the point, and
there left him. When we got home, said he, "Oh! brother Young, you came
right to the point exactly, and I did pray that you might tell us what
kind of a being God is." I replied, "I left you in a puzzle on purpose
for you to guess it. You have read it frequently, and you can hardly
read the Bible at all without reading precisely what kind of a being
our Father is." Said he, "I am not aware that I know anything about
it." I asked him if he could tell me what kind of a being Adam was.
"Oh, Adam was a man like I am." I asked him if he believed in the
history of creation, as given in Genesis by Moses, for if he did he
would find that God said to His associates, "Let us go down and make
man in our own image and likeness." He believed the history given by
Moses, and had read the passage to which I referred. "Then," said I,
"you must believe that Adam was created in the exact image of the
Father." (17) He
had never thought of that in his life. I told him I had read that many
times to Christians and to Christian ministers, but they would not
believe what was in the Bible. Says Jesus, "Whosoever has seen me has
seen the Father." He is the Being the Latter-day Saints worship; He is
a man-God. Can you get a better term than that - a God-man? (18)
It is said that Jesus is the only begotten of the Father. It is strange
that people cannot understand it, but they cannot unless they are told.
How can we know unless we are told, and how can we tell the people
unless the Lord tells us to do so? Faith comes by hearing the word of
God declared, and this must be declared by those having authority. This
character whom we serve is God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ and the Father of our spirits, if the Apostle tells the truth;
if he has not, who can correct him unless they have a revelation from
the heavens? I have had a great many ministers tell me that I must
understand that spiritually. I have told them that I read and
understood it just as it as, and if it was not right, and they could
give the correct meaning (which it was impossible for them to do
without revelation), they were under condemnation before the Lord if
they did not do so. That would stop them. (19)
Our Lord Jesus Christ - the Savior, who has redeemed the world and all
things pertaining to it, is the only begotten of the Father pertaining
to the flesh. He is our elder brother, and the heir of the family, and
as such we worship him. He has tasted death for every man, and has paid
the debt contracted by our first parents. What about this? I am not
going to tell this, for I have a few more ideas with regard to the
Christian world that I wish to lay before you. Why have they wandered
so far from the path of truth and rectitude? (20)
Because they left the Priesthood and have had no guide, no leader, no
means of finding out what is true and what is not true. It is said the
Priesthood was taken from the Church, but it is not so, the Church went
from the Priesthood, and continued to travel in the wilderness, turned
from the commandments of the Lord, and instituted other ordinances.
There are a great many churches that do not believe in ordinances at
all, and there are some called Christians who do not believe in the
blood of the Savior, and that he, himself, was nothing more nor less
than a good man. If they believe in the baby resurrection, or that a
person who had committed adultery would have his blood shed in the
resurrection, it would be just as consistent as to believe what they do
believe. These ideas are all wrong. (21)
The Christian world struggled on until the days of the Reformation. But
what of the Reformation? Nothing, only it shows that there were some
few among them who had courage to come out against the orthodox
principles ordained, published, and proclaimed by the Priests. They had
an idea in their minds that the Lord was going to do something for the
people, but they could not tell what. There was a spirit upon them that
prompted them to declare against the wickedness of those professing to
be Christians. Did they profess to know enough to take the truth and
leave the error? No; down to the days of my youth the Christians did
not know any better than to renounce any doctrine that the Church
believed from which they came. This is more or less the case with every
denomination on the face of the earth. Some who call themselves
Christians are very tenacious with regard to the Universalians, yet the
latter possess many excellent ideas and good truths. Have the
Catholics? Yes, a great many very excellent truths. Have the
Protestants? Yes, from first to last. Has the infidel? Yes, he has a
good deal of truth; and truth is all over the earth. (22)
The earth could not stand but for the light and truth it contains. The
people could not abide were it not that truth holds them. It is the
Fountain of truth that feeds, clothes, and gives light and intelligence
to the inhabitants of the earth, no matter whether they are saints or
sinners. Do you think there is any truth in hell? Yes, a great deal,
and where truth is there we calculate the Lord has a right to be. You
will not find the Lord where there is no truth. The devil had truth in
his mouth as well as lies when he came to mother Eve. Said he, "If you
will eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you
will see as the gods see." That was just as true as anything that ever
was spoken on the face of the earth. She did eat, her eyes were opened,
and she saw good and evil. She gave of the fruit to her husband, and he
ate too. What would have been the consequence if he had not done so?
They would have been separated, and where would we have been? I am glad
he did eat. I am glad the fruit was given to mother Eve, that she ate
of it, and that her eyes were opened, that I have tasted the sweet as
well as the bitter, and that I understand the difference between good
and evil. (23)
When the Lord called upon His servant Joseph, after leading him along
for years until he got the plates, from a portion of which the Book of
Mormon was translated, "By and bye," said he, "you are going to
organize my church and establish my kingdom. I am going to have a
church on the earth. All these churches you have inquired about are
wrong; they have the truth amongst them, but not the Priesthood. They
lack a guide to direct the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth -
that is the keys of the priesthood of the Son of God." This tells the
story. We possess the Priesthood. The Lord sent John to ordain Joseph
to the Aaronic Priesthood, and when he commenced to baptize people he
sent a greater power - Peter, James, and John, who ordained him to the
apostleship, which is the highest office pertaining to the Kingdom of
God that any man can possess on the face of the earth, for it holds the
keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and has power to dispense the blessings
of the kingdom. This priesthood is that which the Christian world do
not possess, for they have taken leave of the kingdom and the
priesthood. Joseph bestowed this priesthood upon others, and this
Church possesses it and its power, which enables us to detect all
error, and to know what it true. (24)
There are other things I wanted to talk about, not pertaining to the
Kingdom of God on the earth, but to the faith of this people before
God, but I shall leave this for the present, as I feel that I have
talked as long as is prudent for me. May the Lord God of Israel bless
you, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen. (25)
1) The simplicity of the Christian Gospel stands in contrast to layers of Mormon nonsense.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
2) The simplicity of the Christian message stands in contrast to layers of Mormon nonsense.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is
written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing
the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-19.
3) The simplicity of remembering the death of Jesus Christ stands in contrast to layers of Mormon nonsense.
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that
the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is
My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the
same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the
new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this
cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 1 Corinthians
11:23-26.
4) Pure communism failed in the early church as it did later in the Mormon church due to the greed of Brigham Young.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to
the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the
week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may
prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come,
whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to
Jerusalem. 1 Corinthians 16:1-3.
5) Jesus Christ prayed for the spiritual unity not corporate temporal unity of Christians.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that
they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent
Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be
one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made
perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and
have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:20-23.
6) The simplicity of Christian prophecy stands in contrast to Mormon false prophecy.
Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true
sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to
me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your
brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:9-10.
7) The simplicity of the will of God was always known by Christians throughout the ages.
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the
Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him
up at the last day.” John 6:40.
8) Mormon heresies have always been apparent in contrast to Christian Doctrines.
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such
to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship
in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24.
9) The kingdom of God should never be confused as a corporate church on earth.
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would
come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with
observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed,
the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21.
10) Christians obey Jesus Christ while Mormons obey the false prophet Joseph Smith.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
11) Christians look forward to going to heaven not Utah.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general
assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to
God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus
the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that
speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24.
12) Mormon intolerance has been the LDS problem not perceived persecution.
And thus, even as I have said, if ye are faithful ye shall assemble
yourselves together to rejoice upon the land of Missouri, which is the
land of your inheritance, which is now the land of your enemies.
Doctrines and Covenants 52:42, June 7, 1831.
13) Brigham Young did not finish the verse that he quoted. The thief on the cross was never baptized.
Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He
rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not
believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned.” Mark 16:14-16.
14) Mormon blood atonement was a Mormon doctrine that was preached and practiced.
I say, that there are men and women that I would advise to go to the
President immediately, and ask him to appoint a committee to attend to
their case; and then let a place be selected, and let that committee
shed their blood. We have those amongst us that are full of all manner
of abominations, those who need to have their blood shed, for water
will not do, their sins are of too deep a dye. JD 4:49, Jedediah M.
Grant, September 21, 1856
15) Baptism is not the Christian Gospel or part of it.
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest
anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also
baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I
baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to
preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ
should be made of no effect. 1 Corinthians 1:14-17.
16) The Holy Spirit is received through faith in Jesus Christ not practiced method.
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me,
I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and
said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:21-22.
17) Humans are created in the image of God as a trinity.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your
whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
18) Brigham Young had become a debased person by calling God the Father a mere man.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because,
although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were
thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts
were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed
the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible
man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Romans
1:20-23.
19) Debased Brigham Young taught that God the Father had sex with Mary to produce Jesus Christ.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was
betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with
child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man,
and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her
away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which
is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a
Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people
from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21.
20) Debased Brigham Young taught that God the Father had sex with Mary to produce Jesus Christ.
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also,
that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke
1:35.
21) The simplicity of the Christian message stands in contrast to layers of Mormon nonsense.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you,
that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we
have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not
practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His
Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7.
22) The truth for Christians is Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.
23) Brigham Young did not understand the grace and truth of Jesus Christ or know Him.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world
did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. John 1:10-14.
24) The simplicity of the Kingdom of God stands in contrast to layers of Mormon nonsense.
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of
God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:16-17.
25) Debased murderous religious fanatics will never be blessed of God.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are
the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are
you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil
against you falsely for My sake.” Matthew 5:3-11.