Should We Critique Mormonism? (Part 1)
December 19, 2005 Posted by Roger Overton
When critiquing Mormonism, I have found that it is not uncommon for Mormons to ask: “Why do you want to spend your time attacking another religion? Why don't you just share with others what you believe?” I hear questions like these so frequently that I have given a lot of thought to my response. Here are the reasons I usually give:
1) Proclaiming the truth inherently includes denying error. As Ravi Zacharias (who recently gave a series of lectures on truth in Salt Lake City, including a message at the Historic Tabernacle on Temple Square) has said, “If truth does not exclude, then no assertion of a truth claim is being made; it's just an opinion that is being stated. Any time you make a truth claim, you mean something contrary to it is false. Truth excludes its opposite” (Zacharias quoted in Lee Strobel, The Case for Faith, 150-151). Simply put, when a person claims that something is true, he or she is also automatically implying that its opposite is false. If I argue for monotheism, I am also necessarily arguing against polytheism. Therefore, it is impossible to just share with others what I believe. By doing so, I am at the same time sharing with them what I do not believe. If I believe that historic Christianity is true, then I also must believe that Mormonism is false. As a result, my faith requires me to demonstrate why this is so. We cannot separate telling the truth from exposing error.
2) The exclusivity of the gospel demands it. Jesus Christ said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The Apostle Paul maintained, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). Elsewhere he warned against following those who preach another Jesus, receiving another spirit, or receiving another gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4). It is only through God, His redemptive work, and His gospel that we gain eternal life. Since historic Christians and Mormons believe in different Jesuses and trust in different gospels, I must seek to show the true Christ and the true gospel.
My next post will give two final reasons for critiquing Mormonism.
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December 19th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
Well stated John! It will be interesting to see where this all goes in teh coming days. That Ravi Z. quote is so key to this who discussion. Keep up the good work.
Big Chris
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