[net.religion] Mormon Theology

ee161ant@sdcc13.UUCP (ee161ant) (03/21/85)

There has been a war going back and forth as to the nature of the
doctrine of salvation as presented by the Mormon church.  These quotes
taken from various doctrinal sources should help clear this confusion.

"Salvation is two-fold: General-that which comes to all men irrespective
of belief (in this life) in Christ - and, Individual - that which man
merits through his own acts through life and by obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the gospel." Joseph Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:134

"Full salvation is attained by virtue of knowledge, truth, righteousness
and all true principles. Many conditions must exist in order to make
such salvation available to men. Without the atonement, the gospel, the
priesthood and the sealing power there would be no salvation. Without
continuous revelation, the ministering of the angels, the working of
miracles, the prevalence of gifts of the spirit, there would be no
salvation ... There is no salvation outside of the Church of Jesus
Christ of the Later Day Saints.   Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine
                                  (1966 edition) page 670

"Those who reject the gospel, but live honorable lives, shall also be
heirs of salvation but not in the celestial kingdom. The Lord has pre-
pared a place for them in the terrestrial kingdom.  Those who live lives
of wickedness may also be heirs of salvation, that is, they too shall be
redeemed from death and hell eventually."   Joseph Smith
                                            Doctrines of Salvation 2:133

"... Every possession and object of affection will be taken from those
who forsake the truth, and their identity and existence will eventually
cease."   Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 4:31-32

     These are just a few quotes that apply to the Mormon doctrine of
salvation taken from a book on the teachings of the Mormon Church.  If
anyone is interested in a book that challenges the teachings of the
Mormon Church and doesn't go to overboard in the comparison to funda-
mental Christianity, try reading "The Maze of Mormonism" by Dr. Walter
Martin.  The author is one of the most knowledgable authorities on the
various 'new religions' (I'd get in trouble if I called them cults) and
a smaller book that deals with many diffferent 'new religions' is
entitled, "The Kingdom of the Cults" (he said it, not me).  Both were
used as reference sources for obtaining these quotes.

What do they mean?  Post if you're interested in further discussion.

			Rick (still not Rich (I'm an individual) :-) )

Always match your parenthesis, accept when
they're part of a happy face.