Heart of the Matter: Live Broadcast

Live from the Mecca of Mormonism (and the Factory here in Salt Lake City, Utah) this is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology., where . . . Biblical Christianity meets American Evangelicalism Face to Face . . . Show 8 Fundamentalist “Prosperity Teachings” Part I April 23rd 2013

And I’m your host Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion.. We praise the True and Living God for allowing us to participate in this, His ministry. We pray His Spirit upon you – and us – tonight.

Phone Line and Topic Introduction

Hey! We’re going to be taking calls tonight so here’s the number. (801) 590-8413. When we open the phone lines we invite you to call with ANYTHING you want to discuss. Okay. In about 25 minutes. Alright, tonight we are going to open the door into one of the most sinister practices in the Church today. It’s a topic that oddly finds itself replicated in the teachings and attitudes of Mormonism, by the way, and one that, in Christianity, came in on the tail of faith healing. Can you guess what it is?

Fan Mail and Response

Before I tell you, how about some follow-up from some emails and phone calls we’ve received on our topic of the last few weeks – (which was faith healing).

NUMBER GRAPHIC FLASHING!

First, an email from a fan of HOTM, but one who did not give a name (which always tells me its someone I know who is taking a stand for a position but doesn’t want to do it publicly). I am going to read what it says and answer each query as they come along. Ready? This is what it says:

Hey, I have been watching HOTM for years and I love the program and I was so happy to see that you are doing new episodes. I think that it’s great that you want to go after “issues” in evangelicalism.

So there’s the stroke of the email – you know, established common ground – then he or she goes on:

I am curious to know if you are familiar with other apologists who do the same thing like Chris Rosebrough of “Fighting for the Faith” or Todd Friel of “Wretched radio?”

RESPONSE:

Yes, I am aware there have been and will continue to be people – people far more adept and able at this than me – who have done what we are doing. But let me explain why we are doing it. Our ministry is to the LDS audience and those interested in Mormon matters. Our going after the issues in modern American Evangelicalism is in their interests. Because we have people who come to our site for information on and about Mormonism, we wanted to give them a place in-house where they can hear and see biblically based responses to what is going on in the Christian world too.

Additionally, we have taken this course – again, this year alone (mind you) to show (and prove) to our LDS friends that we do not pick on them and them alone (which they constantly complain about). Back in the day I went after (so to speak) Mormonism because I knew Mormonism and I sort of knew the Bible. At this point in my walk, I now know Evangelical Christianity and want to warn those coming out of Mormonism about the traps therein. Simple as that. So I’m not trying to just do what others have done; I’m doing what they have done for the benefit of our overall mission to the LDS. The pastors that rallied to get me off TV 20 failed to see this.

Addressing Misrepresentation Concerns

The mystery writer continues . . .

“The reason I am writing is because I want to petition you to deal with the best that the other side has to offer. For example, if you are really going to attack Calvinism I really think that you should get James White on the program and if you can’t get James White you should get Michael Horton and if you can’t get Michael Horton, I know that there are tons of informed Calvinists out there who would be happy to do a phone interview or maybe even visit on the set and talk in person.“

(Shawn will read this)

The writer continues on, saying:

The reason that I say that is because I have seen Calvinism and other doctrines misrepresented so many times by people who have been fed misinformation and I don’t think that this is the proper way to do apologetics. I don’t think that God is glorified in this way and I don’t think that you will reach any informed (Calvinists, Pentecostals, etc.).

Understanding the Arguments Against Systematizing Scripture

Listen really carefully. I don’t care what men say – whether James White or Michael Horton or anyone else. This appeal is no different than a Mormon writing me and asking for an official representative to come on the air because I am not getting things right.

Because men are intelligent and able to massage meanings and interpretations of scripture, because they are able to make some unbiblical, man-made notion sound biblical means nothing to me. The petition of this writer illustrates one of the problems that occur when MEN attempt to “systematize” what the Bible says.

We all have the word of God. I have no need to embrace what Jean Calvin came up with (or what any of his proponents have extrapolated) to understand the Word contextually. I’ve put the work in to understand the Word as well. I ask nobody to trust me or my opinions but to examine the word themselves and test all that I say.

Critique of Religious 'Isms'

ANY “ism” – whether it be Mormonism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Communism, OR Calvinism – puts the true and living God in a box and as far as I’m concerned you can take ANY box that tries to contain God and use it for kindling. I am not an apologist. I’ve made this clear before. I am a sinner saved by grace through faith and am commanded to bear fruit of love.

Part of loving others (in my life) is to do my best to articulate what is biblical . . . and what is not. So use the Bible to test me and my positions, but leave the men and their ideas where they will all end up anyway . . . rotting in boxes six feet deep.

Faith Healing and the Power of Darkness

Regarding faith healing, we received a few emails on the subject and some phone calls. First off, a few of you have wondered if the faith healer (in the story I told a few weeks back) has come forward and provided proof that there were two actual blind women who were healed by God through his ministry – as he claimed? No. Not yet.

Then, we received an email from a long-time supporter (Laura) who reminded me that sometimes healings at the hands of faith healers are legit. Except the power to accomplish them comes from the dark side.

Testimony from Joanna Michaelson

Said Laura: I was dying to call in last week (will you be taking calls at some point in your new format? –Yes we will) and bring up the fact that some faith healing IS done with supernatural power: that of the devil himself. There is a woman called Joanna Michaelson who, although now a saved sister in Christ, was involved in faith healing in Mexico that was done through demonic means. She has a powerful ministry now warning any who will listen about the danger and the creeping influence of the occult in our culture. Below is a YouTube link to a talk she gave.

[GRAHPIC OF YOUTUBE CLIP HERE]
http://youtu.be/K6Qy1j2LBmU

Joanna Michaelson's first book is called, “The Beautiful Side of Evil” and her second book “Like Lambs to the Slaughter.”

Listen, what Laura mentions here is a fact – healings can and will take place by and through the power of darkness. This is one reason Jesus even admitted that many will come to Him saying “Lord, Lord” will also say . . .

22 “we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” 23 Matthew 7:22-23

I mean, look back to the Old Testament. Remember Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh?

10 “And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.”

Understanding Spiritual Deception

Biblical Context on Deception

Exodus 7:10-12

Remember what Satan said to Jesus when he was tempting Him in the wilderness? He said to the Lord:

“All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.” Luke 4:6

Then listen to how Jesus, through John, describes the power of the false prophet and antichrist in Revelation:

Re 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he
“And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Revelation 13:13-14

In Revelation 16:14 he goes on, saying –

“For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:14

Identifying True and False Healings

What’s the bottom line? How can a believer tell what is a con, what is a deception of Satan, and what healings are to the glory of God? We take the Word as a whole and we test the context of what is being presented to us, that’s how.

So, as an example, I would never be impressed even with a faith healer who could raise the dead but also teaches things contrary to the rest of the Word. For example, if Billy Bob Barfuncle literally took a person who had been decapitated, reattached it successfully but also teaches that we are all Gods I would run – no matter how impressive the miracle he or she produces! Additionally, if there is a faith healer who heals and accepts money for the healing they are doing for God’s glory, I would run from him or her too.

You might ask, do I have a biblical premise for this stance? Several. Did Jesus or the twelve receive funds because they could heal? Did they ever receive money or take up a collection at one of their healings? No.

Then, there’s an Old Testament premise that supports this attitude as well.

In the book of Second Kings, chapter five, a man named Naaman comes to the prophet Elisha to be healed of leprosy. After reluctantly dipping in the Jordan seven times Naaman was healed and came to Elisha, saying:

“Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. But he (Elisha) said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he (Naaman) urged him to take it; but he (Elisha) refused.” II Kings 5:15-16

Interestingly enough, one of Elisha’s servants greedily snuck off and accepted the money offered to Elisha but when this was discovered the leprosy (that clung to Naaman) clung to him! In my opinion getting rich (to do the work God has equipped a person to do in the area of healing or that Satan has enabled a person to do) is a MAJOR warning sign of something wrong.

When money and healing meet up, date, and then marry, they produce a diabolical child which we are going to begin to cover tonight . . . it’s called prosperity theology.

Origins of Prosperity Teachings

But first, let’s pray. We’re gonna need it.

I think that perhaps the best way to explain Prosperity Teachings is to try and sketch out how it came about. I am only going to discuss the religious ties and contributions to the movement but know that the claims of today’s prosperity teachers are nothing new and that elements of what they teach were alive and well in the practices of mesmerizers, snake oil salesmen, self-esteem movements, Positive Mental Attitude people, The Secret and Law of Attraction types and on and on and on. It’s all from the same tree, nourished by the same…

Overview of Prosperity Theology

Roots, watered by the same polluted waters and warmed by the same black sun. But again, our focus is to examine Prosperity Teachings in the church today and we’ll begin with how it got a foot hold in the lives of believers. Let me sort of draw a general picture of the so-called prosperity movement in Christianity today. It is better understood as “prosperity theology” though it is called all sorts of things like “name it and claim it,” “the prosperity gospel,” and/or the “health and wealth gospel,” to name a few. Generally speaking it relates to Christian finances and material acquisition by teaching that

1. financial blessings (for Christians) is God’s will, and

2. that by and through “faith,” “positive speech”, and donations to Christian ministries a person will increase their material wealth. These principles are also applied to the health of a person and really to anything they stand in need of as a believer. Additionally, there are periphery applications to prosperity theology which are known as “word of faith,” “word of knowledge,” and “word of wisdom” movements. In essence (and in my opinion) they all stem from the same place . . . a place that in the end is planted in very different soil than the contextual teachings of the New Testament. It is a place where the power within Man is emphasized (just like in faith healing to some extent).

Critique and Support of Prosperity Teachings

But just like Mormonism, the biblical supports for these prosperity teachings are always couched in the use of selective Bible passages and a boatload of non-contextual interpretations of the Bible. Another common element present in these teachings is the fact that they will take numerous Old Testament ideas (which were between God and the Nation of Israel) and apply them to Christianity . . . something the LDS are also guilty of doing. So before we look at how this garbage got started in Christianity, let’s review some quotes from some of the most influential Health and Wealth leaders in the world. See if you can hear the nascent “smackings” of Mormonism as they mix truths from scripture to support their non-biblical take:

Creflo Dollar said:??“Keep saying it—‘I have equality with God’—talk yourself into it.” ??

John Hagee said:?“John 1:38 says that Jesus turned to those who were following and said, ‘come with me,’ and they said, ‘where dwellest thou?’ He said, ‘come and see,’ and Jesus took the crowd home with him to stay in His house. That meant it was a big house.” ?

Benny Hinn said:?“The Holy Spirit is a power or force. It can be harnessed in used by the believer at will through faith. Sometimes I wish I had a Holy Ghost machine gun. I’d blow your head off…” ?

Kenneth Copeland said:?Humans are “little gods.”?Copeland also said:?“When I read in the Bible where he says “I Am,” I just smile and say, “Yes, I Am, too.”

Prominent Voices and Beliefs

And speaking of Jesus dying on the cross and defeating Satan, Copeland said: ?“Oh yeah, if you had the knowledge of the word of God that He did, you could’ve done the same thing.”?(BEAT)

Another word of faith genius, Robert Tilton, said? “A human can tell God what to do.? We can make any commitment or promise to him we want, “Then we can tell God on the authority of his word what we would like him to do. That’s right! You can actually tell God what you would like his part of the covenant to be!” ?

Norvel Hayes adds this bit of wisdom (listen closely)?“If you depend on your faith you don’t need to ask God. Do you have financial mountain in your life? Start talking to your money. Tell your checkbook to line up with the word of God… Stop talking to Jesus about it. Stop talking to anybody else about it; speak to the mountain itself….”

Kenneth Haggin gave us this gem?“It is unscriptural to say in our prayers, ‘If it is the will of God.’ When you put an “if” in your prayer you are praying in doubt.”- Kenneth Haggin?(Remember what Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42) “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

So there are some of the general attitudes the Health and Wealth or prosperity teachings produce in people. It’s really all about personal empowerment, prosperity, and Man putting himself in a position, by the faith he exhibits, to garner prosperity in all areas of his life . . . because, according to them, “God wants all of his children healthy.”

Origins of Prosperity Theology

Enticing words to people who don’t understand or won’t accept the Word contextually. So where did all this bullfish begin? I would suggest, though I haven’t ever read this and it's just my opinion, that officially the prosperity movement began with an improper application of the speaking of tongues in what we might call Christian Pentecostal churches. See, this too is a practice based on a speaker of tongues' FAITH and is used as an outward indicator (by some) to prove the faith or standing of an individual in his or her walk.

In other words, to some, it is only when a person speaks in tongues that are they born again and saved. And if they don’t, they have yet to prove they have been baptized of the Holy Spirit. We’ll get to all the nuances of tongues at a future date. But once speaking in tongues was inappropriately and unbiblically being applied in these groups it didn’t take long for other behaviors, (expectations and attitudes) to follow. Enter the faith healing revivals of the 1950s where “deliverance,” and miracle healings were the primary focus (pocus) of the gatherings.

The Rise of Miracle Healers and Financial Promises

I would strongly suggest (because I cannot prove it) that as Christian faith healers were able to see the exuberant response people had at the possibility of being physically healed through supernatural means, money (and the focus of it) became a natural follow-up cause upon which they could prey (prey, not pray). And before anyone could say, “Jesus,” all of it sort of morphed into this ugly Chimera that would pop up at revival settings and the like.

This three-headed monster, back in the day, bore the heads of “deliverance” (from demons and other powers), “healings,” and in the end, the power to produce financial prosperity – all by the faith a man or woman exhibits and irrespective of the will of God (because God’s will is everyone was rich and healed). Combining prosperity teaching with revivalism and faith healing, these evangelists taught "the laws of faith ('ask and ye shall receive') and the laws of divine reciprocity ('give and it will be given back unto you')" to those caught up in the fervor and pitch of emotionalism.

Oral Roberts and the "Blessing Pact"

But it wasn’t until 1947 that good old Oral Roberts began promoting what we call “prosperity theology.” At first, he taught that the laws of faith were a "blessing pact" in which God would return donations (given to him, of course) in a "seven-fold," return to those who gave in faith. These are the same promises the LDS propose toward paying tithing, though not with the seven-fold return clause. It is also one of the reasons I am very much against the term tithing, which, by the way, is VERY popular among the Word of Faith people. In the 1970s, Oral Roberts re-ordered his “blessing pact” teaching” and called it a "seed faith" doctrine.

From these teachings of Oral Roberts, the con has done nothing but grown. Take a look:

(Video of Michael Murdock here) QUOTE HERE SHAWN with Texas accent.

Anyway, old Oral Roberts began recruiting wealthy donors (whom he embarrassingly called “partners”) who they were given exclusive invitations and special access to things in his ministry in exchange for hefty support. Now, listen up – I had no idea about Oral Roberts at the time that we instituted our own “HOTM Partner’s program” and I am going to take measures in the very near future to deconstruct what we have in place in our own ministry – my apologies. Anyway…

A.A. Allen and the Word of Faith Movement

In 1953, a faith healer A. A. Allen published The Secret to Scriptural Financial Success and he began promoting merchandise such as "miracle tent shavings" and “prayer cloths anointed with "miracle oil" in his marketing efforts. But by the late 1950s, Allen began to increasingly focus on prosperity. He taught that “faith” could miraculously solve financial problems and claimed to have had a miraculous experience in which God “supernaturally” (a catchword LOVED by the name it and claim it folk) changed one-dollar bills into twenty-dollar bills to allow him to pay his debts.

Launching off claims like this Allen began to promote what is called “the word of faith" or what could be defined as the power to “speak” something into existence – like ten thousand dollars into your empty wallet or a new set of teeth into your empty mouth. By the 1960s, prosperity “teachings and preachings” became a primary focus in many healing revivals. Speaking in tongues played a big part as…

Prosperity Theology in Televangelism

In the face of all this, it was only natural that the proponents of prosperity teachings must exhibit great wealth to show they were men and women of great faith. In other words, lots of money meant a man or woman of God. This same lie permeates LDS culture – especially at the top. Anyway, around this time purveyors of prosperity teachings began to make ostentatious displays of personal wealth. Additionally, since prosperity was equated with faith and faith with God’s blessings, the Health and Wealth folks began to look around and found the smelly revival tents unfit for preaching prosperity. It was at this point that prosperity teachers began to navigate toward gaudy television studios and clean-shaven televangelism began to dominate religious programming in the United States.

The Rise of Prosperity Televangelism

Oral Roberts led the way, developing a syndicated weekly program that became one of the most-watched religious shows in the United States at the time. By 1968, television had supplanted the tent meeting in his ministry. And by the 1980s, public attention to prosperity theology came through the influence of prominent televangelists such as Jim Bakker and his wife buttery and blubbering wife Tammy Faye. This influence waned after Bakker was implicated in a high-profile scandal (Bakker renounced prosperity teaching from prison by the way) but in the aftermath, Trinity Broadcasting Network (or TBN) emerged as the dominant force in prosperity televangelism, producing such prominent prosperity evangelists as Robert Tilton and Benny Hinn. Today, the most successful and recognizable prosperity teachers are sometimes those who are also known for their amazing ability to heal. They include (but are not limited to): Marilyn Hickey, Kenneth Copeland, Ernest Angley (who I used to get totally mesmerized by as a kid), Peter Popoff, Rex Humbard, Paul Yongii Cho, Frederick Price, John Avanzini, Charles Capps, Jerry Savelle, Joyce Meyer, Morris Cerullo, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Michael Murdock… to name a few.

1 Timothy 6:10

Now, again, there is ALWAYS going to be elements of truth intermingled with the claims of these religious charlatans. Does God want some people to be financially prosperous? Of course. From the Bible, we know Job, Abraham, David, Solomon, and “Joseph of Arimathea” were all blessed with material prosperity and used it according to His will and ways. I can tell you from first-hand experience that if it wasn’t for the material prosperity (and generosity) of a number of devout brothers and sisters out there this ministry would not exist. Period. But again, contextually, the Bible clearly shows that the love of money is the root of all evil. And we can no more look at those believers who are blessed with financial stability as models for how God wants all of his children to be anyone than we can look at poor believers and suggest the same. In His sovereignty God allows many – in fact most – of His children (whom He loves) to struggle financially. And for the most part the New Testament gives far more evidence for this state than material prosperity. But it is all in His hands and in this believers trust.

Wealth and Faith

There is NOTHING wrong with Christians being successful financially and there is nothing wrong with Christians being broke. We all have our own respective crosses to bear. The question is always, what is the heart of all believers toward God? Do we all, irrespective of our external circumstances, trust him with all of our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding? But this is not what the “name it and claim it” and “blab it and grab it” folks suggest. They seem to suggest that EVERYTHING lies in the hands of believers, that God wants all of his children to be wildly wealthy, and if they are not it’s their own faithless fault!

Listen to the picture these false prophets paint and how they interpret the Biblical narrative:

“The Bible says that [Jesus] left us an example that we should follow in His steps. That’s the reason I drive a Rolls Royce” — Frederick K.C. Price

“The moment you speak something out, you give birth to it. This is a spiritual principle, and it works whether what you are saying is good or bad, positive or negative” — Joel Osteen

“Jesus had a seamless robe so valuable that Roman soldiers gambled for it at the cross. It was a designer robe” — John Hagee

Joel Osteen said “You were born to win; you were born for greatness, you were created to be a champion in life and abundance, He wants you

Abundance and Faith in Mormonism

To live in abundance. He wants to give you the desires of your heart…God is turning things around in your favour.” Joyce Meyers asks, “Who would want to get in on something where you’re miserable, poor, broke and ugly and you just have to muddle through until you get to heaven?” Wow. I mean, how have things got to this point?

The Parable of the Talents

1. Matthew 25:14-30

Let’s open up the phone lines . . .

(801) 590-8413

Again, call with any question or comment relative to our topic at hand, Mormonism, or whatever.

While the operators clear your calls, let’s take a minute and watch this spot about the ministry.

We dedicate this program to “all of you who stand without fear in the service of the King.”

We’ll see you next week, here on “Heart of the Matter.”

Common Inquiries About Mormon Practices

Emails, Questions, and Queries

From: Julie

Subject: baptising

Message Body:

Hi Shawn, Is it possible to find out if a family member has been baptised after their deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. by the LDS church? If so, how do we go about finding out? THANK YOU. Call 801 240-2584. That’s the LDS family History Center and they should be able to help you.

It’s all pseudoscience and in the church it is all pseudo faith as the Christian walk is anticipatory (expectant/hopeful) on what God has promised and the Christian walk is based on how He moves in our lives, NOT how we direct Him to move and act.

I know this has already been covered by others in ministry to the LDS but I’d might as well throw my hat into the ring as people are asking: “What’s all this about Grant Palmer, author of An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins meeting with LDS leadership?” It seems Grant Palmer sent out a letter or email or article that described some meetings he has been having with some higher ups in the LDS church – a stake President and a leader of one of the quorums of the Seventy. Do a Google Search and you can read the communication yourself. There’s some really interesting revelations included in it. But the reason I’m bringing it up is THIS is how the LDS organization is going to crack from the top. Our ministry operates at the grassroots level, reaching out and touching seekers of truth from within the general membership of Mormonism. But it’s men like Grant Palmer, who, having been lifelong faithful members, step out and speak and write the truth that we will see Mormonism crumble from the top.

I say this because there are entire ministries out there (well funded) where Christian men think they can buddy up with the LDS leadership and that this ecumenical show is going to somehow influence LDS leaders to the truth. I still don’t think these guys realize how much they are being used by the Mormon machine. Anyway, go get em, Grant. May God continue to use you as you honestly and effectively expose these men to the truth.

Top Twenty Questions

20. “How do I share with my LDS family, friends, spouse, neighbors?” There are a number of ways, all depending on the person and circumstances but I believe the BEST way is to exhibit JESUS in your love for them, and to work on whether they have been born-again or not – all religious affiliation aside. There are times to contend for the faith, there are times to throw down. But with family and friends – love and serve as Jesus commands.

21. “How has your family handled your leaving the church?” My wife and two youngest daughters are saved Christians through and through. My oldest daughter Mallory is searching but is out of Mormonism completely. It took time, but the LORD is faithful if we are willing to do things His way – and to wait on Him.

22. “How do you make your money? What do you do for a living?” After funding the ministry myself for at least four years I presently am repaid by Alathea Ministries as writing, hosting, teaching and managing the ministry has become more than a full-time proposition. Prior to this, I worked different jobs to keep the ministry and our family afloat, and prior to becoming a Christian I worked as a registered investment officer in a few brokerage firms and other financial institutions.

23. “Why don’t you get some real scholars

Welcoming LDS Church Representatives

We have always welcomed any official representative of the LDS church to be on the program – ANY. None have come forward. But we have plenty of non-official capacity members who, in their own estimation, believe they have what it takes to be a guest to defend Mormonism. The trouble with these types is:

1 They can say anything they want, in their non-official capacity, and nobody can take them to task. Much of what they say is prefaced with, “Well, I believe, I believe.” But even if they did use only Church issued statements, they would use them selectively and spin. Someone “Official” needs to be taken to task, not one of these frustrated people who their own church won’t endorse.

2 Their purpose is to defend Mormonism at all costs – truth is irrelevant – winning is the goal. Have you EVER listened or watched these guys on the internet? Aweful. Banal. Mundane. There’s this one guy who headlines his videos with questions like: “Did Joseph Smith have multiple wives?” And after these long, testimonial diatribes, will say something like, “No, I don’t believe Joseph Smith took on many wives . . .” UN believable.

3 Many of them are more interested in polemics – arguments, debate. Not truth. Believe it or not, I am not. I am interested in truth. Talking about truth. And Jesus is the Truth.

16. “Shawn McCraney is neither a true evangelical nor is he a Mormon.” True. Keep your titles. I am a follower of the King, Jesus. Some people need to “categorize in order to feel comfortable.” I don’t ever want anyone to feel comfortable with me. That’s what the Mormons work so hard at achieving with each other. I am a seeker, a wanderer, an iconoclast, BUT, this being said . . . I am a whole-hearted believer and follower of Yeshua – who is my God and King. I am a servant to the most High God. In my flesh, a jackass. In my spirit, regenerated by my King.

Born-again Mormon Perspective

15. “What’s up with the title, Born-again Mormon?” We believe people can be born-again while they are LDS and this opens up a method that we believe is viable – even superior in many respects to other methods of reaching the LDS. This is the goal of this part of our ministry – to help people who are LDS trust in Jesus enough to experience rebirth – and to then let the LORD work in their lives and direct them on what to do next.

16. “Someday, Shawn, you will come back to the Church. I just know it.” If that were ever to happen, Mormonism would have to renounce everything that is contrary to the Bible. Which will in all probability be a cold day in hell. I would therefore NEVER “come back to the church.”

17. “Why don’t you spend your time doing something constructive instead of bringing down another faith?” You have to tear a faulty building down before it can be rebuilt. When the foundation is faulty, the whole thing needs to go. The most constructive thing I can do in this aspect of our ministry is to help expose the lies, tear em down, and pray the seeking LDS will see the light of Jesus through the holes in the walls.

Evaluating Different Beliefs

12. “Why is your perspective better than all the millions of LDS believers?” Why is your perspective better than the billions of Christians who agree with me? Are we going to play, “My Dad can beat up your Dad, here?” How about looking at all the facts, weighing them out, and making decisions based on reasonable faith?

13. “How do you explain so many different Christian denominations that all fight with each other?” Liberty in Christ? A God who LOVES diversity? Freedom of thought and practice amidst agreement on the core issues? How do I explain all the different races and cultures? Don’t these create difference too? But is one color superior to the others? SOME people might say yes. Why did God create people so vastly unique? Why are some liberal, conservative, artistic, mathematic, literary, logical, emotional, musical, literal? Doesn’t this say something about Him? The logic behind this stupid statement is like asking,

Examining Religious Expectations

Uniformity vs. Diversity in Faith

“How could you think independent and free-standing restaurants serve good food when there are corporate restaurant chains out there like McDonald’s and Olive Garden? Uniformity does not equate to quality, goodness, or superiority. Life is messy, diverse, challenging and open. Answer this question and you will reveal your personal purview of God: Since Jesus came and fulfilled EVERYTHING and paid for all, does your God demand exact rules and lifestyles and beliefs on every matter OR does He enjoy the freedom His children have in expressing their love and faith in Him through lives of diversity, song, worship, prayer, and personal discipleship? In the end, does your God want you to eat every spiritual meal at McDonalds, or from a variety of divergent café’s, eateries, and venues – which are all committed to supplying the core essentials to a balanced diet.

Internal Challenges in Faith Practices

10. (some form or combination of) “You couldn’t handle being LDS!” “You were a sinner,” “What did you do wrong?” or “Why would we trust a man who failed to live Mormonism?” You are right, I couldn’t handle being LDS. But I have a question for everyone out there who is LDS – can you? Can you handle being LDS? If you say yes, you are either a liar and/or you are in a pathological state of denial. And a religion that creates liars or denial is not good. Think about it. “Do you pay ten percent on ALL you earn?” “Have you ever, ever broken what you call the Sabbath day?” (You do every week, by the way) “Do you give ALL your time, talents, and material wealth to building up the Mormon church?” Truly? Really? “Are you honest in ALL of your dealings with your fellow man?” (if you say yes, you are lying right now and failing the question) The list goes on and on and on. Did you know that every time you make your sacramental covenant renewals you are frankly lying to God. Why? You covenant, you PROMISE, every week, that you will keep His commandments but you are FULLY AWARE that you will break them. This is deceptive. Deception with God. You know you will fail – in advance – and yet you covenant – promise – that you will not. The whole thing is a religious façade of which you are part. And then there are the temple attender’s – with all the unattainable “covenants” you make – are all liars too – because you do NOT keep them – ever! (Beat) You see, I understand. I’m not picking on you. I’m trying to help you see that you are involved in a giant self-deception. Look in the mirror the next time you want to accuse me of not being able to live up to the LDS expectations. If you stare long enough, and look deep enough, you ought to find the accusation as nothing more than a reflection of yourself.

11. “If Mormonism is not true, how do you explain the BOM?” As a plagiarized compilation taken from an assortment of provable original sources in an attempt to make people embrace a counterfeit book of scripture. Watch our program on the Book of Mormon in our video archives. The hyperbole surrounding the BOM bantered about by Holland and others is nothing but a curtain to hide a old man playing the role of wizard.

12. “I’m a Christian and a Mormon too. What do you think of that?” I think individuals from all faiths can be acceptable to God by virtue of their faith in Jesus alone. I think there are even extreme cases where people who call themselves Buddhist, Islamic, and Hindu are, in fact, Christian, and who find themselves the recipients of God’s grace. At the same time, I think that Mormon doctrine and LDS praxis works OPPOSITE of true biblical Christianity and for the most part leads people away from the cross rather than to it. Additionally, I would strongly suggest that anyone who claims to be a true believing Christian will, at some point, abandon the Mormon ship because it is so dead to sound biblical truth.

Confronting Religious Criticism

7. “I never hear our leaders pick on other religions. Why do you?” Mormonism is founded on the premise of “picking on other religions.” After all, it’s founder said God told him that no church was right, that all of their creeds were an abomination in His sight, and that all the professors of the Christian faith (meaning pastors) were corrupt.” That is an attack. Then LDS missionaries go door to

Critique of Mormonism's Religious Claims

door TODAY and share the same story, telling people their religion is not true. Then Mormonism teaches that it is the ONLY true Church on earth and a person MUST embrace it – at some point in time – or they will not get to live with God when they die. The leaders DON’T NEED to attack other religions today, the members, missionaries, history and doctrine itself is a living attack on the whole.

6. “How could you pick on a church that does so much good?” The premise is faulty from the start, and being the sixth most frequently asked question it is grossly misunderstood by many, many people – LDS and not. How can a church that supposedly “does so much good,” but leads people away from doctrinal truths of Jesus, truly be thought of as doing good at all? It can’t. In the truest sense, Mormonism does no good. If this life is all there is, and there is nothing hereafter, then I could agree with the statement that Mormonism does “good.” But because there is an afterlife, and success and peace and joy in that afterlife is predicated on biblical truths which Mormonism refutes, Mormonism is truly not doing any good at all. In fact, their light is a form of darkness. This premise is akin to a card-carrying member of the Nazi party claiming that Hitler did so much good – so why pick on him? He saved the German Republic from financial ruin. He obliterated obscenities from theater. He supported German family life. He provided jobs. He hated drunkenness. But it was his “final solution” that made him so absolutely reprehensible – not the social ills he cured that made him so good. The same is so with Mormonism. The bad lies in their final solution.

Personal Experience and Criticism

5. “We’re you ever LDS? Yes. Forty years.

6. (Then there is always . . .) “a question or comment regarding my appearance.” But we’ve beat that one to death.

NUMBER 3!

3. “You tell lies, lies, lies!” Alright, let’s just talk about this for a minute. When I present history or doctrine, I speak the truth as I discover it. Very, very rarely does anyone contact us and tell me, “What you said about LDS doctrine, history, etc. is untrue.” Rarely. But then there are my perspectives on things. I typically differentiate between historical and doctrinal fact and my perspective on how they play out. In this area, you can disagree, but because I see things differently does not mean I am a liar. Then finally, there is my humor, my spinning, and my attempts at getting under peoples skin with comments about culture. These are just my attempts at entertainment, at prodding, at getting people fired up. I NEVER, EVER purposefully say anything – EVER – that is untrue. But when it comes to the interpretation of culture, I can understand how I can, in your opinion, be misunderstood.

All this being said, it’s really important for you to examine what you think I am lying about. Ask yourself if because you don’t like my person or humor if you are using this as an excuse to call everything I say a lie. This is where the LDS go wrong. Because I had long hair, I couldn’t have been telling the truth about Joseph and Fanny Alger. Because I call Monson out on the carpet, there is no way my facts about the BOM could be true. Mormonism has caused you to think this way. Additionally, they have made it so that you CAN’T listen to the facts because they challenge your very existences. It’s too flugging scary and painful. And so you get angry over my attempts at entertainment because my facts are terrifying to your person, your ego, your lives.

True Christianity

2. “How could you say we’re not Christian?” Mormonism is NOT Christian, and will NEVER be Christian as their doctrines are in opposition to all of true Christianity. Just ask a knowledgeable Christian. Let me tell you something, good, loving, faithful Christians look for every opportunity to embrace people who claim Jesus as their King. So ask yourselves, my LDS friends, why has historical Christianity fully rejected Mormonism? Mormonism tells you its because they are jealous. Not so. It’s because every Bible scholar to every Bible reader knows that Mormonism presents a false, pseudo, counterfeit gospel.

(beat) And finally, for the number one question, comment, or accusation (drum roll)
• “Why do you pick on another religion? Jesus never did that!” The more I read the New Testament, the more I see how MUCH time

False Teachings and Errant Beliefs

Jesus actually spent ripping on the false and errant teachings of men and religion. Open up the book and read it. See what He said to the religious rulers of His day. Hear the names He called them. Listen to how He corrected their false teachings and arrogant attitudes.

Wake Up and Hear the Truth

Jesus never picked on another religion? That is all God has done since the Fall! Wake up. Grow up. Stop your fearing and start your hearing. It will make all the difference to your life here on earth – and once you depart.

Conclusion

(beat) And with that . . .