| Barna, a renowned researcher of religious trends in America, has reported some startling trends, according to a fax report just received. He declared that one-fourth of all Mormons surveyed report that they have been born again. If his survey is factual - it can be readily explained. Currently more than four times as many proselytes (people from other churches) are joining the Mormon Church than those who are born to Mormon people. (These are all considered Mormon at birth). I have seen it estimated that 40 percent (or perhaps even 60 percent) of those being proselyted have some connection with Baptist churches. I would not doubt either percentage. Baptists are the most gullible people in the world. If asked what we believe about God (for instance), we will hazard a guess. (When I was a pastor in New Mexico years ago, I was never able to get to first base with a Catholic. They just would not talk)! Baptist (preference) people are usually happy to express their sentiments. That's all a Mormon missionary could hope for. Consequently, through good salesmanship, many Baptist background people are becoming Mormon. If they were once saved, I believe they are still saved (though I'm quite sure all who say they are aren't - and I profess, I do not know which are or are not)! If a significant number of those becoming Mormon have been born again (Baptist doctrine), or even "think" they have been saved, that could explain the report. I've never met a recent convert to Mormonism who had the slightest idea what Mormonism really teaches. The Barna report could easily be misinterpreted. He says 26 percent of Mormons claim a "born-again" experience. That can easily be explained (I am rather surprised that the percentage is not larger) since Mormonism teaches that one is "born-again" when he is baptized (as soon as possible after his eighth birthday). The Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie (in his Mormon Doctrine, pg. 101) says "The second birth begins when men are baptized in water by a legal administrator...." The article continues, "no one can be born again without baptism...." Thus, as far as the average Mormon is concerned, he has been baptized so he is "born again." Barna continues, according to the Marv Knox article, stating that evidently 31 percent of Baptists are not born again, "They either hold beliefs outside the traditional Baptist understanding of salvation by God's grace through faith in Christ, or they somehow joined a Baptist church without making a personal, ongoing commitment to Jesus." The Barna report states that Mormons are more likely to embrace a biblical perspective on a number of scriptural factors than" (and he names a number of well-known church groups). "These include beliefs that the Bible is totally accurate in all that it teaches . . . and holding an orthodox, biblical view of God." How wrong can he be!? The Eighth Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes a question as to the Bible’s correct translation -- and declares that they believe the Book of Mormon without question. Again, McConkie (pp. 82-83) questions the Bible, declaring "that they [i.e., the Biblical writings] have not come down to us in their perfect form is well known in the [LDS] church and by all reputable scholars." He further declares that "many plain and precious things were deleted., in consequence of which error and falsehood poured into the various churches (1 Nephi 13)." Though the Testimony of the Three Witnesses declares that they believe the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost "which is one God" this is not what Mormons teach. Mormons teach that God is "an exalted man." They say, "As man is , God once was; as God is, man may become," that God has a body, can be at only one place at a time, is married (plurally), and that to one of his wives Mary was born. He (i.e., God) then lived with her and Jesus was he result. Though this is not taught in the Book of Mormon (no really distinctive LDS doctrine is taught in the Book of Mormon -- e.g., plural marriage, eternal marriage, temple work, baptism for the dead, that men can become Gods, etc., etc., etc.). Barna seems to commend the Mormon missionary program. Evidently he is not aware that the Mormon missionary program makes no effort to reach lost people (the unchurched). Its total program is proselytizing -- persuading church members to leave their churches and become Mormon. |
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