Mike Licona's Blog

Is Mormonism Christian? (part 3)

2008-01-14T21:15:00Z

In the past two blogs we have taken a look at the basic history and beliefs of the Mormon church as well as the nightmarish problems it faces when the claims of its prophet Joseph Smith are checked against the facts. In this article I would like to answer the question "Is Mormonism a cult," then look at the issues involved in considering for whom to vote in the forthcoming Presidential elections.

There are many words for which there is no consensus definition. "Cult" is one such term. For this article, I will define cult as a group that refers to itself as Christian but which differs in one or more of the fundamental beliefs of Christian orthodoxy.

When we hear of someone belonging to a cult, we tend to have a very negative stereotyped images of deceived followers who belonged to organizations such as the Unification Church ("Moonies" for the irreverent) led by Sun Myung Moon, the People's Temple led by Jim Jones, and the Branch Davidians led by David Koresh.

Because of this stereotype, it is helpful to distinguish between a sociological cult and a theological cult. A theological cult is one that meets the above definition of a cult, whereas a sociological cult is a religious or semi-religious group that is socially or culturally deviant. For example, a sociological cult may have a leader who is very controlling and who makes inappropriate demands of his followers, such as telling certain women followers who are married to have sex with him or forcing adherents to live in a community closed to the public where they cannot leave at will.

Mormonism is not a sociological cult. Although the polygamous Mormon sect which recently made the news under the leadership of Warren Jeffs may certainly be regarded as a sociological cult, the Mormon church disavows this group as Mormon, since it officially ceased allowing polygamy by its practitioners in 1890.

However, Mormonism is a theological cult, since the Mormon church holds doctrines that differ fundamentally from Christian orthodoxy. Space prohibits numerous examples. But we may note that the Mormon church maintains that Mormon males (sorry ladies!) may become a god some day and of the same type as the God of the Bible. It is actually a form of polytheism, although the Mormon church maintains that the God of the Bible is the only God with which we have dealings. Of course, this is fundamentally different than what is taught in the Bible, that there is only one God -- period, and we will never become like Him. He shares His glory with no one and we will never be all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere as God is. (For additional examples of how Mormonism is fundamentally different from Christian orthodoxy, see parts one and two in this series.)

This brings us to the question of Mitt Romney and evangelical voters wishing to cast their vote for a social conservative. I see two ways of looking at this:

On one hand, some may argue, there is more to be concerned about in a presidential candidate than his or her religious beliefs. A candidate's positions on the war on terrorism, poverty, the economy, strictly moral issues such as "gay marriage" and abortion rights, and maintaining free speech all may play into a voter's decision, as can a candidate's character, trustworthiness, experience and track record. As this argument goes, if Romney excels in these areas over another candidate, why not vote for him? Americans are electing a president, not the pastor of our church.

On the other hand, others may argue, a Mormon president would provide Mormonism with visibility beyond anything it has had up to now and consequently give a boost to Mormon missionary efforts. The same may be said of a president who is a Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist. As this argument goes, a nominal Catholic president or one who is non-committed in his or her religious persuasion would not have the same effect on those who share his or her worldview.

Whether Mormonism is a deal-breaker for evangelical voters is something each one will have to decide.

Is Mormonism Christian? (part 2)

2008-01-11T15:11:00Z

In the 1990s I had a friend who was a former bishop in a local ward of the Mormon church. He and his wife were wonderful people and I still regard them as personal friends.

In 1997, he asked that I come to their home and listen to two Mormon missionaries. I went and when they began giving their presentation, I interrupted and said, "If Mormonism is true, I want to know everything about it. However, if it isn't true, I really don't care about all of its history and beliefs. So, would you mind if we focus on whether Mormonism is true?" They agreed and after a little further discussion we scheduled for all of us to return in a week's time and discuss the evidence. While they did their homework, I did mine. In this article, I'll share two of my findings that led me to conclude that Mormonism is a false religion.

My first discovery is that there is no specific confirmation of the Book of Mormon from archaeology. I phoned one of Brigham Young University's top Book of Mormon archaeologists and asked him whether any archaeological finds had confirmed anything in the Book of Mormon. He was cordial and to my surprise answered that there is no archaeological evidence that can be tied directly to the peoples and events described in the Book of Mormon. I placed a second call to BYU and this time spoke with a second Book of Mormon archaeologist. This man was also very friendly and honest, and likewise told me that no real evidence exists that specifically ties the peoples and events of the Book of Mormon to the known world. Keep in mind that both of these are practicing Mormons who are professional Book of Mormon archeologists.

What is interesting is that Mormon missionaries and Mormons in the pew are all told by the Mormon church that a number of archaeological discoveries have confirmed the truth of the Book of Mormon, while Book of Mormon archaeologists at BYU are making statements to the contrary.

My second discovery was that the Book of Abraham, which is counted among the Mormon scriptures, discredits founder Joseph Smith as a true prophet. In 1835, Smith purchased some mummies that were accompanied by some ancient Egyptian papyri. Smith claimed to be able to translate the papyri because they were written in Egyptian, very similar to the "Reformed Egyptian," which Smith claimed was the language of the Book of Mormon. As he translated the manuscripts, he asserted it contained the Book of Abraham, a book written by Abraham himself.

The papyri for the Book of Abraham contained some drawings with Egyptian writing that were subsequently published in Times and Seasons, a Mormon newspaper. The papyri were lost after Smith's death in 1844 but were rediscovered in 1967 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York who returned them to the Mormon church which in turn confirmed them to be the originals and published them for others to see. A Mormon academic journal named "Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought" asked three prominent Egyptologists to translate the papyri. If Joseph Smith was a true prophet, the contemporary translation would be very close to Smith's. The stakes were high, since the translations of the Egyptologists either could confirm Joseph Smith as a true prophet or expose him as a charlatan. For if Joseph Smith was terribly wrong in his translation of the Book of Abraham, it casts doubt on the Book of Mormon, too.

John Wilson and Klaus Baer, both professors of Egyptology at the University of Chicago, and Richard Parker, a professor of Egyptology at Brown University, were asked to do the task. The results were devastating. All concluded that the manuscript was a common Egyptian document buried with mummies for guidance in the afterlife and was not used until at least a thousand years after Abraham. They also concluded that Smith's translation did not bear the slightest resemblance to the actual translation. This is especially important when we consider that Smith claimed that the Book of Mormon was written in the same language. Since it can be demonstrated that Smith was gravely mistaken in his translation abilities when it came to the Book of Abraham, why should anything but the same conclusion be drawn pertaining to his ability allegedly to translate the Book of Mormon?

Therefore, at best, Joseph Smith was mistaken to believe that he had the ability to translate Reformed Egyptian and, therefore, we should render the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham as unreliable. At worst, he was a fraud, and the gold plates he said he found and translated into the Book of Mormon never existed in the first place.

In other words, if Joseph Smith really believed he was divinely given the gift to translate and that the Book of Mormon contains an historical account of real peoples, he was either self-deluded or deceived. The other option is that Joseph Smith knew his claims were false. If this was the case, he was a deceiver. Deceived or deceiver? Either way, it seems pretty clear that Joseph Smith was not a prophet of God. Accordingly, despite the fact that the Mormon church embraces a few beliefs in line with biblical Christianity it is demonstrably a false religion.

Is Mormonism Christian? (Part 1)

2007-12-20T19:39:00Z

Someday it will happen to you. You are about to sit down for a late breakfast on a Saturday morning. The French toast smells delicious. A glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee will make the start of a great day. You pour the syrup and prepare to take that tasty first bite, when there is a knock on your door. Perhaps it is the neighbor's child asking to play with your son. Maybe it is the guy next door who would like to borrow your tools -- again. You open the door and ... oh! ... there are two Mormon missionaries standing before you.

Sharply dressed and very friendly, they ask if they can come in and tell you about God's good news. But you're unsure. They claim to be Christians. And you remember your Sunday School teacher talking about Mormonism. But most of the points made are vague in your mind and many are forgotten. You desire to talk with them but don't want to get into a conversation unprepared. So you politely say, "I'm busy" and close the door.

Ah, yes. Where were you? That's right, back to your breakfast. You slice off a piece of French toast, swish it in syrup and take a bite. However, while sipping your coffee you feel a sense of disappointment. You know that you just passed up a valuable opportunity to share your faith because you were unprepared. You know that if Jesus had been there He would have spoken with them. And you wonder what it is that Mormons actually believe. Is Mormonism Christian? Is the Mormon church a cult?

This is the first of three blogs that will answer these questions. In it, we will take a brief look at the history, the beliefs and the people of the Mormon church.

HISTORY -- Mormonism started in 1830 with 24-year-old Joseph Smith Jr. According to Smith, he had several experiences, during which God, Jesus and the angel Moroni gave him instructions. Part of the instructions supposedly included digging up some gold plates buried by the angel Moroni around A.D. 400 on a hill just outside of Smith's town of Palmyra, N.Y. Smith dug up the plates, claimed they were written in "Reformed Egyptian" and that God had given him the ability to translate them. This translation became known as the Book of Mormon, a purported account of the ancient inhabitants of North America between 600 B.C. and A.D. 400.

Mormons have four sources of authority: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has become one of the fastest growing religions in the world. According to the Mormon church, Latter-day Saints membership now totals nearly 13 million worldwide. The church owns Brigham Young University.

BELIEFS -- Many beliefs held by the Mormon church are fundamentally different from those found in biblical Christianity. These have been detailed in numerous publications. But here are a few of the more prominent ones:

-- God was once a human as we are now, and progressed to become God. He is one of many gods.

-- Man has the ability to progress and become a god.

-- Jesus was the first spirit child of God the Father. Subsequent spirit children are angels and humans. Jesus is the son of God and a member of the Godhead, though these are not understood in the sense of biblical Christianity, since in Mormonism they are three individual Gods.

When Mormon missionaries visit you, they usually will not focus on the doctrines previously mentioned. In fact, they probably will not even bring them up. Instead they will seek to find common ground on many of the doctrines biblical Christians believe. For example, they may begin by saying that God revealed the Old Testament through Moses and the prophets. Then Jesus came, was crucified and resurrected. Evangelicals agree on these facts. Then the differences begin. They will tell you that before Jesus' ascension to heaven, He appeared to the inhabitants of North America and gave them the gospel as well. His message and the history of these inhabitants from roughly 600 B.C. to A.D. 400 are recorded in the Book of Mormon. Furthermore, they will tell you that since the apostles were not replaced when they were killed, the Christian church went into apostasy. In other words, it abandoned the true faith, and consequently, a restoration was necessary. Mormons believe that God chose Joseph Smith to bring that restoration; therefore, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church.

THE PEOPLE -- Mormons are wonderful people who are very sincere about their faith and are generally very caring. Although Mormon scholars, such as those at Brigham Young University, are well aware of the challenges which face Mormonism, Mormon laity, including Mormon missionaries, are pretty much in the dark and would be surprised if you share with them the information that will be contained in the next blog in this series.

When Muslims Appeal to the New Testament

2006-12-14T22:10:00Z

Given the prominence of Islam in the news since 9/11, there is a significant amount of polemic occurring between Muslims and Christians in terms of the truthclaims of Islam and Christianity. Since Muslims have very little credible evidence in support of their views, a common strategy is for Muslim apologists to appeal to the Bible in their efforts to discredit Christianity. In this entry, I want to discuss a few attempts frequently made by Muslim apologists to show that Muhammad is predicted in the New Testament.

1. Muhammad is the Prophet predicted. In John 1:19-24, John the Baptist is asked regarding his identity:

This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.” “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.” Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?”

Some Muslims argue that Elijah is John the Baptist, the Messiah is Jesus, and the Prophet is Muhammad. They add that Christians have no reason to conflate two of these figures (Messiah, Prophet) into one.

While it is clear that many Jews of the time had an expectation of three prominent figures, Jesus never affirmed this belief. In fact, Jesus is not speaking in any of the verses related to this expectation, nor is He being addressed. He is only ever being spoken about. We have no record that He ever confirmed—actively or passively—that the Jews were right to have this expectation of three prominent coming figures. It is also interesting to note that the Jews of Jesus’ day were not in agreement pertaining to the number of prominent figures. Consider the following:

•   Some Jews thought of 3 figures: Elijah, Messiah, Prophet (Pharisees in John 1:25)
•   The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that some believed in a Prophet, a royal Messiah, and a priestly Messiah (1QS Col. 9 vs. 11).
•   Some Jews regarded Jesus as the Messiah (John 7:41)
•   Some Jews regarded him as the Prophet (John 6:14; 7:40)
•   Some Jews combined the royal Messiah and the Prophet (John 6:14-15)
•   Early Christian Jews regarded Jesus as the Messiah and the Prophet of Deut. 18:15, 18
(Acts 3:19-26 [esp. 3:22]; 7:37)

The bottom line is that in claiming that Muhammad is the Prophet spoken of in Deuteronomy (18:15, 18), Muslims align themselves with the Jews of Jesus’ day who were mistaken in their understanding of His identity. The earliest followers of Jesus regarded Him as the One Who was both the Prophet, the priestly Messiah, and the coming royal Messiah.

Let’s look at one more.

2. The “Comforter” spoken of by Jesus is not the Holy Spirit but Muhammad.

It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you. (John 16:7 HCSB)

Some Muslim apologists claim that the “Counselor” or “Comforter” mentioned by Jesus cannot be the Holy Spirit since Jesus said the “Counselor” could not come until Jesus had left. However, it is the Holy Spirit Who is said to lead Jesus into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). This argument is easily answered. There are 4 Comforter Statements made by Jesus; all in John. In every case the “Helper” is said to be the “Holy Spirit” or the “Spirit of truth.”

•   John 14:16-17: “[The Father] will give you another Comforter…that is the Spirit of truth”
•   John 14:25-26: “the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send…He will teach you all things”
•   John 15:26 - 16:1: “When the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth…He will testify about Me”
•   John 16:7-30: “if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you….when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth…He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and disclose it to you.”

While the Comforter can only come after Jesus has left (John 16:7), it is in a different manner. In John 14:16-17, Jesus says that the Comforter abides (present tense) with you and he will be (future tense) in you. Moreover, in Acts 9:31 we see that the Holy Spirit was indeed comforting after Jesus had ascended: “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”

In conclusion, we have noted two examples of New Testament texts being twisted by Muslim apologists in order to argue that Muhammad is predicted within its pages. Although the average Christian has no idea how to reply to Muslim arguments, one can see that is not that difficult with a closer look at the biblical texts.

Holy Jihad! What are we to do about Islam?

2006-09-15T20:55:00Z

This spring a thousand British Muslims were polled. The results are alarming.

·    28% want to see Great Britain become an Islamic state
·    68% hold that Brits who insult Islam should be arrested & prosecuted
·    25% have either never heard of the Holocaust or it never happened
·    45% hold that 9/11 was a conspiracy between the U.S. & Israel (another 35% said “Don’t know”)

The objective of committed Muslims is to Islamicize the world. When a person or a country stands in its way, it is regarded as a “war on Islam.” This does not mean all Muslims hate Christians. For over a thousand years there have been many friendships between Muslims and Christians.

However, these Muslims have disregarded the Qur’an, since it prohibits such friendships (Q 5:51). So what are Christians to do? I would like to suggest three initial responses by evangelicals to Islam.

1. Recognize that we stand in the way of Islam intentionally.
We believe that Islam is a false religion. The apostle Paul wrote, “But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!” (Gal. 1:8 NET). Since Islam’s message differs fundamentally from the gospel, it is clear what Paul taught concerning the fate of Muhammad and those who propagate Islam. A few years later Paul wrote, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5 NIV). It is the responsibility of evangelical Christians to promote the gospel of Christ to the exclusion of the core messages of other religions—including Islam. In the eyes of committed Muslims, this places evangelical Christians at war with Islam.

2. Engage in Christian Jihad!
Jesus predicted the current dilemma. He warned that false prophets would come (Matthew 16:11-14) and that the day was likewise coming when religious zealots will kill Christians and think they are offering a service to God (John 16:2-4). It is natural to feel anger and hatred toward Muslims who want to kill us. On a national level, we can support politicians who are committed to hunting down and destroying terrorists, upholding free speech, and standing in the way of Muslim thugs who declare war on everything which does not allow Islam to dominate. On a personal level, Jesus tells us plainly what our response should be:

But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. . . . If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. . . . But love your enemies, and do good . . . and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. (Luke 6:27-35 NASB)

Jesus calls us to a Christian Jihad. The difference is that our holy war actually involves—well—holiness. These words of Jesus were not easy to hear for the early Christians who were persecuted and killed by Jewish authorities followed especially by Rome. It will not be easy for us either. However, this is a day when cooler heads must prevail and holiness is our goal.

3. Recognize that God is Bringing Muslims to Christ!
In 2005, roughly 250,000 Muslims converted to Christianity in Iran. Between 2003-2005, roughly 1 million Muslims converted to Christianity in Arab countries. Muslims are coming to Christ in North America, too, although not to the same extent as in Muslim countries. Dr. Ergun Caner came to North America in order to build Mosques and Islamicize the U.S. A persistent evangelical Christian led him to Christ. Ergun then led his entire family to Christ, with the exception of his father who disowned him. He is now the President of Liberty Theological Seminary and his brother Emir is the Dean of The College of Southwestern. Abdu Murray is an attorney in the Detroit area who became a Christian after wrestling with the preponderance of evidence in its favor. He is now active in sharing the gospel with Muslims. Nabeel Qureshi was a committed Muslim whose father is a Muslim leader in Virginia. Last year Nabeel became a Christian. After being shaken by the evidence for the truth of Christianity, Nabeel prayed that God would give him three dreams that would provide guidance in the matter of the truth of Islam or Christianity. He received these three dreams and, against what he had hoped for, God confirmed the truth of Christianity. Nabeel is now in medical school and simultaneously completing a Master’s degree in Christian Apologetics. His future intentions are to spread the gospel of Christ.

Nabeel’s baptism

We live in a new day when evangelical Christians in North America may soon join their brothers and sisters around the world in being persecuted and martyred for their faith. This is a whole new way of thinking for us in North America where we have been shielded from severe persecution. In “Me and Becky,” Christian artist Chris Rice challenges believers to get out of their comfort zone. We have a home on Abundant Life Blvd, butterflies in our yard and a fish on our car. We tear up in church and sing our harmonies loud. We read our Bibles, keep a prayer journal, and are careful to give thanks before meals in restaurants. But is that enough?

There’s a world out there that we left behind
Full of souls as important as yours and mine.
Looks like a reckless road and a sacrifice
And I’m crazy scared it may cost our lives
But then I remember Jesus died
So come on Becky. Let’s go for a ride.

We may also remember Paul’s words: “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Now is the time for Christians to begin serious dialogue concerning how we may be used of God to get His glorious gospel to Muslims in North America, a people whom God loves passionately.