Perhaps the GB could save more $ by having sharing web design departments and content - especially some of those photos of smiling families and people engaged in witnessing. Just airbrush the Mormon elder badges out and you have a pioneer...
Jw.Org & Mormon.Org See something similar? Me too...
by TeenageInsider 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Phizzy
Will the two Churches eventually join forces ?
The W.T would have to come in very much as the poor relation , but it could work, about as well as the British coalition government does I expect LOL
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Listener
Out of many global horror news stories both sites chose to put up a news article on the Connecticut shooting.
The mormons published theirs a few days prior to the JWs. The mormons article is far superior to the JWs.
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falseprophet
Also lds.org
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00DAD
The look is similar, but the Mormon site looks more like a dating site. Bizarre. Religions are just weird. I'm done.
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sir82
Undoubtedly both religions hired the same website design firm.
It seems that the WTS is carefully observing the Mormons, and copying what it can get away with, without being too overt. They probably admire their growth rate, and undoubtedly admire their wealth and growing prestige (US presidential candidate, for example).
I would not be at all surprised if the GB is racking their brains, trying to fit together a half-dozen scriptures to justify imitating the Mormons' tithing requirement.
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donuthole
JW's need that dating app on their site.
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NVR2L8
Sir82,
I doubt the WTS would hire an external firm for their website...they often brag of the accomplishments of their in-house projects...MEPS (program developped to print in multiple languages) is one example. Also I know of some IT engineers who volunteer their time and expertise so the WTS doesn't have to pay external firms...
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Cold Steel
The two religions share a great deal in common. They both have their roots in Adventism and Miller, both have apparent links to the Masons (Joseph Smith confirmed Mason, Charles T. Russell very strong evidence for being a Mason), and both believe in a Jesus that is very different from Christian theology.
First, I see no overt similarities in the two sites except both are religious. Chances are you people would find any religious art “creepy” because you’re critics. But if there are similarities, I don’t believe either site borrowed from the other.
As to your allegations above, the two religious movements are vastly different. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in 1830, well before William Miller shaped his controversial eschatology. Joseph Smith, in fact, was a vocal critic of Miller and wrote a number of critiques of Miller’s theology and his errors. You’re also off base about Adventism (which came after “Mormonism” by several years, BTW). There are far more differences than similarities in theology, eschatology and philosophies between Mormonism and Adventism, and maintaining that there is reflects an embarrassing ignorance of American religions. Mormonism is a restorationist movement and Adventism is a protestant movement.
The ancient church had far more in common with the LDS church. For example, the ancient Christian church believed not only in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and, but that He was known to Old Testament prophets as Yahweh, or Jehovah.
- An organization headed by a quorum of twelve apostles;
- An open canon of scripture;
- A foundation based on apostolic authority, including the Keys of the Kingdom with the ability to bind on Heaven and Earth;
- The authority to baptize by water and confer the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands; also, to cast out devils;
- Revelation, such as theophanies, angelic ministrations, and the Holy Spirit;
- Prophecy and healings;
- Witnesses. The followers of Jesus saw the many miracles Jesus performed just as the Mormons saw many miracles and healings. The early apostles saw the resurrected Christ and spent 40 days off and on with Him learning the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. In like manner, every major vision received by Joseph Smith was witnessed by at least one other person. Three others who were impeccible witnesses saw the angel, heard the voice of God and saw the gold plates. The scriptures state that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
- Offices such as bishops, elders, seventy, priests, teachers, deacons, evangelists, etc.; and
- Belief in baptism for the dead (1 Cor. 15:29), the physical resurrection of all mankind, be they good or evil, and that the elect can become coheirs with Christ, inheriting “all that the Father has.”
The only church today that has the same organizational structure and basic beliefs is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There’s also substantial evidence that the church not only believed that man has an immortal spirit, but had a premortal existence, a concept now popular in numerous near death experiences. As far as I know, the LDS church is the only church that believes in the premortality of man or baptism for the dead. People decry our secrecy in some matters, but that was one of the faults cited concerning the ancient church. As LDS author Hugh Nibley noted: “One of the first questions that Clement, the ardent investigator, puts to Peter is, ‘shall those be wholly deprived of the kingdom of heaven who died before Christ's coming?’ To this the apostle gives a most significant answer: he assures Clement that the people in question are not damned and never will be, and explains that provision has been made for their salvation, but this, he says, is ‘as far as we are allowed to declare these things,’ excusing himself from telling more: ‘you compel me, O Clement, to touch upon things which we are forbidden to discuss.’”
They share many similar [traits] in indoctrination, thought blocking, and control techniques.
Complete and utter nonsense. Please cite your references. Mormons are free to visit other churches, read the religious materials of other churches, have friends who aren’t Mormons; we aren’t shunned and we can question doctrines and visit websites like this.
They differ somewhat when it comes down to core beliefs such as [Mormonism] teaches a [physical] conception initiated between God and Mary, Jesus and Satan are brothers, 3 different heavens-Celestial (which has a higher and lower level), [Terrestrial], and [Telestial], Doctrine and Covenants section 132 (polygamy doctrine)....
We believe that Jesus is physically and literally the Son of God, but we have no doctrine on how it happened. For example, I don’t know anyone in the church who believes there was physical copulation between God and Mary, though there may be some. Still, it’s not a church doctrine nor should it be. We believe that Mary received the Father’s seed through the instrumentation of the Holy Spirit, as stated by scripture.
As for Satan and Jesus being brothers, spiritually, yes, we believe all men are brothers and all women are sisters. In the premortal world, all of us attended a council in Heaven. Lucifer was an extremely brilliant, articulate and competent entity, and one of great power. Jesus, however, was “more intelligent that they all,” and He sustained the Father in His plan for the human race. Lucifer, however, sought to do an end run around the plan by negating free agency and thus saving all mankind through compulsion, so he urged, “Give me thy glory” (power). The Father, unwilling and unable to use force, “chose the first.” Our scriptures state that the latter was wroth and led away many. So yes, in that sense we all are brothers and sisters of those who rebelled, including Lucifer. But we’re also told that the one known as both “Jehovah” and “Jesus” was the firstborn of all spirits and of superior power and intelligence.
As for plural marriage, yep, guilty as charged. As to why, one must understand that God gave the patriarchs their wives, and the only sins they committed were taking foreign wives out of the Covenant. As Justin Martyr noted “the patriarchs had many wives, not to commit fornication, but that a certain dispensation and all mysteries might be accomplished by them.”
Peter spoke about the “restoration of all things,” which God would bring about in the latter times (Acts 3:18). Since the LDS faith declares that it is the beginning of that fulfillment, plural marriage was one of the sacred principles restored. Another is blood sacrifices, which must again be conducted in the future Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Malachi wrote: “and [the Lord] shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:3-4) In our day, we have no need to do blood sacrifices; nevertheless, such has to come about to fulfill scripture as part of the restoration of all things.
...as well as they will become [gods] themselves, etc. They both believe in works based salvation and that one must belong to their religion to have any chance of salvation.
That man can become as God is an ancient doctrine that also is held by the Orthodox faith. “Jesus became what we are so we can become as He is,” is a familiar refrain. The early church fathers also debated this doctrine, known as Theosis. You can read about it here.
Regarding salvation, we believe exactly as the ancient church did. We believe in salvation by grace, but that works such as baptism are requisite to obtain it. Jesus said, “He who believeth and is baptized shall be saved....” Why didn’t He just say, “He who believeth shall be saved”? It thus becomes the Christian paradox: “One cannot be saved by works, but one cannot be saved without them.”
The final fallacy is that one must be a member of our religion to be saved. Complete nonsense. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to explain further. Suffice it to say that we don’t believe in a never-ending hell of fire, but that hell is remedial in nature and many will experience it. But not because they’re not “Mormons,” but because they live in wickedness. The scriptures say that eventually “every knee shall bend and every tongue confess Christ.” So if you’re a Jew or a Muslim or an atheist or whatever, you will eventually subject yourselves willingly to Christ.
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Balaamsass
I still say old Anthony Morris is reaching out to his old BYU Alumni........He probably wears the special under garmets....