Mormonism is pure fantasy?

[Psilomancer]

Here are just three of the dozens of prophesies made by Joseph Smith that never came about, not that ANY ever did. These along with the 'magic' underwear, and the entire pearl of great price, which is a proven mis-translation of a common Egyptian burial script that anybody with five minutes can verify, it just seems so nuts that there are mormons anywhere!

Prophecy # 1 — The Coming of the Lord

President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182).

Prophecy # 2 — The United States Government
to be overthrown in a few years

I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder of men, women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished (History of the Church, Vol. 5, page 394).

Joseph Smith made this prophecy in May 6, 1843. However, the United States Government did not redress any of the wrongs committed against the Mormons in Missouri, and now over 150 years later, the U.S. Government still stands.

Prophecy # 3 -- Joseph Smith taught that "The inhabitants of the moon are more of a uniform size than the inhabitants of the earth, being about 6 feet in height.
"They dress very much like the Quaker style and are quite general in style, or fashion of dress."

On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren landed on the moon. What did they find? Was there life on the moon? Had anyone been on the moon before them? We all know that as they stepped out of their lunar module on that day, they stepped out on a barren, airless, uninhabitable wasteland; a place upon which it is impossible for man to live. Oh well.

10 bizarre mormon beliefs

So please explain to me how Mormonism is any less fictional than L. Ron Hubbard and his Church of Scientology?

[Lysid]

Psilomancer

So please explain to me how Mormonism is any less fictional than L. Ron Hubbard and his Church of Scientology?

Or any other religion. But I see where you're coming from, the craziest thing about these new age religions is that they seem as, if not more fantastical than the old school ones.

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Lysid

But I see where you're coming from, the craziest thing about these new age religions is that they seem as, if not more fantastical than the old school ones.

The newer religions have had less time to become norms...or the older religions have become old by accommodating to norms.

[Lysid]

Lucky~9~Lives

Lysid

But I see where you're coming from, the craziest thing about these new age religions is that they seem as, if not more fantastical than the old school ones.

The newer religions have had less time to become norms...or the older religions have become old by accommodating to norms.

The old religions gave understanding of origin, reason and cause where there was none. People were taught to believe in life after death which gave individuals purpose and hope. Religion kept the masses subservient through fear of God's wrath, judgment, and justified laws on a higher level. Divine right to rule asserted that a monarch was subject to no earthly authority, deriving his/her right to rule directly from the will of God.

Oh wait... it still apparently does all of that....

Today the old religions are justified by how old they are. "How can millions of people over thousands of years be wrong?" Furthermore thousands of years of indoctrination makes their abundance of followers semi-understandable.

Scientology and Mormonism however... I can't comprehend how they have followers at all. Joseph Smith apparently found some golden plates written in Egyptian and starts Mormonism in the 1820s. L. Ron Hubbard a science fiction writer, writes a book and in 1952 starts Scientology...

It's complete insanity that people accept this nonsense as fact.

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Explain how it's any less fictional than the rest of Christianity.

[Gopher dude]

Lucky~9~Lives

Lysid

But I see where you're coming from, the craziest thing about these new age religions is that they seem as, if not more fantastical than the old school ones.

The newer religions have had less time to become norms...or the older religions have become old by accommodating to norms.

What lucky pi said.

You guys are only picking on Mormonism because it hasn't had 2,000 years worth of telephone tag.

[Lysid]

Gopher dude

Lucky~9~Lives

Lysid

But I see where you're coming from, the craziest thing about these new age religions is that they seem as, if not more fantastical than the old school ones.

The newer religions have had less time to become norms...or the older religions have become old by accommodating to norms.

What lucky pi said.

You guys are only picking on Mormonism because it hasn't had 2,000 years worth of telephone tag.

Lysid

The old religions gave understanding of origin, reason and cause where there was none. People were taught to believe in life after death which gave individuals purpose and hope. Religion kept the masses subservient through fear of God's wrath, judgment, and justified laws on a higher level. Divine right to rule asserted that a monarch was subject to no earthly authority, deriving his/her right to rule directly from the will of God.

Oh wait... it still apparently does all of that....

Today the old religions are justified by how old they are. "How can millions of people over thousands of years be wrong?" Furthermore thousands of years of indoctrination makes their abundance of followers semi-understandable.

Scientology and Mormonism however... I can't comprehend how they have followers at all. Joseph Smith apparently found some golden plates written in Egyptian and starts Mormonism in the 1820s. L. Ron Hubbard a science fiction writer, writes a book and in 1952 starts Scientology...

It's complete insanity that people accept this nonsense as fact.

[Blood Valkyrie]

Mormonism is no more or less idiotic than many other religions.

[Xiam]

Blood Valkyrie

Mormonism is no more or less idiotic than many other religions.

To be fair... it's practically fanfiction. Which can be a lot more idiotic than the things they're based upon.

[Psilomancer]

Blood Valkyrie

Mormonism is no more or less idiotic than many other religions.

Actually it is. Joseph Smith says:

1. Columbus didn’t found the New World. It was the Jews, dummy. Back in Bible times, two tribes sailed to America. No lie.

2. Then the two Jewish tribes got in a fight. One was murdered by the other, which was then punished by God, who turned their skin brown. That’s how the Native Americans came into existence. Duh. No wonder the LDS church didn’t allow black Americans into the priesthood until 1978.

3. Later on, Jesus visited America, too. (He can teleport, you know, like in Star Trek.)

4. Let’s not forget the magical underwear that Mormons wear so that God can recognize them. (He’s got bad eyes, I guess.)

5. Romney also adheres to the more minor but still silly practice such as Baptism for the Dead, according to a profile of him in The New York Times. The ceremony consists of a living person (like Mitt) getting baptized in place of a deceased (the roll call includes many non-Mormons, including … wait for it … Adolf Hitler and Ann Frank).

6. By conservative estimates, Joseph Smith entered into plural marriages with 29–33 women, 7 of whom were under the age of 18, according to Wikipedia. A role model for Hugh Hefner, maybe. But for Mitt Romney?

7. And that wasn’t a typo about Islam also being a forefather to Mormonism. As Christopher Hitchens wrote in an Oct. 17 essay in Slate: “Smith also announced that he wanted to be known as the Prophet Muhammad of North America, with the fearsome slogan: ‘Either al-Koran or the Sword.’” Hitchens concludes that Romney “should be asked to defend and explain himself, and his voluntary membership in one of the most egregious groups operating on American soil.”

[I Am Falanor]

I'm just going to reply to a few of the OP's comments: most of the replies so far are ridiculous and, frankly, I don't want to take the time to address them.

Prophecy #1 - What you quoted was only part of the prophecy, and what was quoted was, unfortunately, taken out of context. Do I fully understand this quote? Nope, I do not. Does it matter to me? Not much. Because I don't know in what context it was taken. I don't know why he said it, or what he meant by it. So ya, I can't answer this one for you and, honestly, I don't care to.

Prophecy # 2 - Where did you get the wording of this one from? I ask because I have read something similar where he said there will be consequences and destruction, but I have not read anything saying it will be overthrown and wasted. So if you would provide a reference for the quote I might be able to answer the question more fully.

Prophecy # 3 - Once again, where did you get this from? When did Joseph say it? Did he say it over the pulpit, as the Prophet? Or did he say it private, to a friend, musing, as friends do, about the unknown and the, to them, unknowable. I believe this, as well as some other weird, funny comments he made, were the later. Not every word that came out of his mouth had to be taken literally: while he was a Prophet he was also a man, subject to a man's fallibilities, just as the Prophets of old were normal, mortal men.



But really, in the end, I know nothing I say here will ever really convince you. Nor will anything I say really convince you. Thats because belief, true belief in something often does not come about from a logical, study it out angle. (Sometimes it can, but not usually.) Instead, it comes from humbling yourself and asking. Thats what I did, and thats why I believe. And if there are things out there that seem confusing or that I don't fully understand, well, who cares? I know what I know, and I'll learn those things I don't know when the time is right.

For those of you who want to ridicule that, ridicule on. Honestly, I don't care, and I won't get offended and claim I'm some kind of a martyr (this is an online forum for goodness sakes!). But I won't shy away from what I believe either. I know what I know, and I'm willing to share it with those with an open mind and willing to listen, not bash.

[Psilomancer]

I Am Falanor

I'm just going to reply to a few of the OP's comments: most of the replies so far are ridiculous and, frankly, I don't want to take the time to address them.

Prophecy #1 - What you quoted was only part of the prophecy, and what was quoted was, unfortunately, taken out of context. Do I fully understand this quote? Nope, I do not. Does it matter to me? Not much. Because I don't know in what context it was taken. I don't know why he said it, or what he meant by it. So ya, I can't answer this one for you and, honestly, I don't care to.

Prophecy # 2 - Where did you get the wording of this one from? I ask because I have read something similar where he said there will be consequences and destruction, but I have not read anything saying it will be overthrown and wasted. So if you would provide a reference for the quote I might be able to answer the question more fully.

Prophecy # 3 - Once again, where did you get this from? When did Joseph say it? Did he say it over the pulpit, as the Prophet? Or did he say it private, to a friend, musing, as friends do, about the unknown and the, to them, unknowable. I believe this, as well as some other weird, funny comments he made, were the later. Not every word that came out of his mouth had to be taken literally: while he was a Prophet he was also a man, subject to a man's fallibilities, just as the Prophets of old were normal, mortal men.



But really, in the end, I know nothing I say here will ever really convince you. Nor will anything I say really convince you. Thats because belief, true belief in something often does not come about from a logical, study it out angle. (Sometimes it can, but not usually.) Instead, it comes from humbling yourself and asking. Thats what I did, and thats why I believe. And if there are things out there that seem confusing or that I don't fully understand, well, who cares? I know what I know, and I'll learn those things I don't know when the time is right.

For those of you who want to ridicule that, ridicule on. Honestly, I don't care, and I won't get offended and claim I'm some kind of a martyr (this is an online forum for goodness sakes!). But I won't shy away from what I believe either. I know what I know, and I'm willing to share it with those with an open mind and willing to listen, not bash.

Argue these:

Joseph Smith says:

1. Columbus didn’t found the New World. It was the Jews, dummy. Back in Bible times, two tribes sailed to America. No lie.

2. Then the two Jewish tribes got in a fight. One was murdered by the other, which was then punished by God, who turned their skin brown. That’s how the Native Americans came into existence. Duh. No wonder the LDS church didn’t allow black Americans into the priesthood until 1978.

3. Later on, Jesus visited America, too. (He can teleport, you know, like in Star Trek.)

4. Let’s not forget the magical underwear that Mormons wear so that God can recognize them. (He’s got bad eyes, I guess.)

5. Romney also adheres to the more minor but still silly practice such as Baptism for the Dead, according to a profile of him in The New York Times. The ceremony consists of a living person (like Mitt) getting baptized in place of a deceased (the roll call includes many non-Mormons, including … wait for it … Adolf Hitler and Ann Frank).

6. By conservative estimates, Joseph Smith entered into plural marriages with 29–33 women, 7 of whom were under the age of 18, according to Wikipedia. A role model for Hugh Hefner, maybe. But for Mitt Romney?

7. And that wasn’t a typo about Islam also being a forefather to Mormonism. As Christopher Hitchens wrote in an Oct. 17 essay in Slate: “Smith also announced that he wanted to be known as the Prophet Muhammad of North America, with the fearsome slogan: ‘Either al-Koran or the Sword.’” Hitchens concludes that Romney “should be asked to defend and explain himself, and his voluntary membership in one of the most egregious groups operating on American soil.”

[I Am Falanor]

Psilomancer

I Am Falanor

I'm just going to reply to a few of the OP's comments: most of the replies so far are ridiculous and, frankly, I don't want to take the time to address them.

Prophecy #1 - What you quoted was only part of the prophecy, and what was quoted was, unfortunately, taken out of context. Do I fully understand this quote? Nope, I do not. Does it matter to me? Not much. Because I don't know in what context it was taken. I don't know why he said it, or what he meant by it. So ya, I can't answer this one for you and, honestly, I don't care to.

Prophecy # 2 - Where did you get the wording of this one from? I ask because I have read something similar where he said there will be consequences and destruction, but I have not read anything saying it will be overthrown and wasted. So if you would provide a reference for the quote I might be able to answer the question more fully.

Prophecy # 3 - Once again, where did you get this from? When did Joseph say it? Did he say it over the pulpit, as the Prophet? Or did he say it private, to a friend, musing, as friends do, about the unknown and the, to them, unknowable. I believe this, as well as some other weird, funny comments he made, were the later. Not every word that came out of his mouth had to be taken literally: while he was a Prophet he was also a man, subject to a man's fallibilities, just as the Prophets of old were normal, mortal men.



But really, in the end, I know nothing I say here will ever really convince you. Nor will anything I say really convince you. Thats because belief, true belief in something often does not come about from a logical, study it out angle. (Sometimes it can, but not usually.) Instead, it comes from humbling yourself and asking. Thats what I did, and thats why I believe. And if there are things out there that seem confusing or that I don't fully understand, well, who cares? I know what I know, and I'll learn those things I don't know when the time is right.

For those of you who want to ridicule that, ridicule on. Honestly, I don't care, and I won't get offended and claim I'm some kind of a martyr (this is an online forum for goodness sakes!). But I won't shy away from what I believe either. I know what I know, and I'm willing to share it with those with an open mind and willing to listen, not bash.

Argue these:

Joseph Smith says:

1. Columbus didn’t found the New World. It was the Jews, dummy. Back in Bible times, two tribes sailed to America. No lie.

2. Then the two Jewish tribes got in a fight. One was murdered by the other, which was then punished by God, who turned their skin brown. That’s how the Native Americans came into existence. Duh. No wonder the LDS church didn’t allow black Americans into the priesthood until 1978.

3. Later on, Jesus visited America, too. (He can teleport, you know, like in Star Trek.)

4. Let’s not forget the magical underwear that Mormons wear so that God can recognize them. (He’s got bad eyes, I guess.)

5. Romney also adheres to the more minor but still silly practice such as Baptism for the Dead, according to a profile of him in The New York Times. The ceremony consists of a living person (like Mitt) getting baptized in place of a deceased (the roll call includes many non-Mormons, including … wait for it … Adolf Hitler and Ann Frank).

6. By conservative estimates, Joseph Smith entered into plural marriages with 29–33 women, 7 of whom were under the age of 18, according to Wikipedia. A role model for Hugh Hefner, maybe. But for Mitt Romney?

7. And that wasn’t a typo about Islam also being a forefather to Mormonism. As Christopher Hitchens wrote in an Oct. 17 essay in Slate: “Smith also announced that he wanted to be known as the Prophet Muhammad of North America, with the fearsome slogan: ‘Either al-Koran or the Sword.’” Hitchens concludes that Romney “should be asked to defend and explain himself, and his voluntary membership in one of the most egregious groups operating on American soil.”

I was generally avoiding yours, since most of those are simple questions designed to provoke and argument. You don't want answers, you want a fight.

Still, I'll answer a couple. The rest I don't feel like touching. And the ones I don't touch you'll cry that its because they can't be explained. I'll say this: I can explain each and every one of these things, but I don't really care to. #Rageon

1) - He was referring to the original inhabitants. After all, the Native Americans, whoever you want to consider the Native Americans to be, originally found it, however it was they did so. We believe that some of the Native Americans came from the old world, under the direction and inspiration of God.

2) Raise your hand if you don't speak with one or more of your siblings. If you've had a permanent rift with your best friend. They split, and they warred. Then there was peace, they intermingled, intermarried, then split and warred again. Similar wars can be found throughout the bible.

3) Yes, we believe Christ came to the Americas after his 40 day post-resurrection ministry in the Bible. "Other sheep have I which are not of this fold...," said the Master. Did he teleport to America? Did he walk across the Ocean? This is the resurrected and immortal Jesus Christ... who am I to question how he did it? Who am I to care?

4) Not responding.

5) Yes, baptism for the dead. This gives those who did not have the chance to find the gospel while they were alive to find it and accept it afterwards, thus all of Gods children will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel. The work must eventually be done for everyone, and then, once it is done, it between them and god, just like it is between you and god, wither or not they accept it or not. 1 Corinthians 15: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?

6) Yes, Joseph did practice plural marriage. No, I'm not sure how many. I could go on, but this is one of those that you don't really care about, but just want to argue, so I won't.

7) Once again, context. I don't know Christopher Hitchens, and I don't know how that was said. And honestly, I don't care. Doesn't matter to me in the slightest, because it doesn't affect me or mine.

[Lucky~9~Lives]

Psilomancer

4. Let’s not forget the magical underwear that Mormons wear so that God can recognize them. (He’s got bad eyes, I guess.)

I'd think being able to identify who's wearing what underwear would take pretty good eyes. "Good" as in "quick", anyway.
- ninja

[GunsmithKitten]

The post mortem baptism thing is what burns me up.

Exactly who the HELL does the Mormon church think they are to baptize someone post mortem without any consent? I'm fairly sure Jeanne D'Arc and her surviving estate was unable to...