From: ksjwr@acad3.alaska.edu (REDELSS JOHN W)
Subject: Re: Honest Question For Any LDS
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41.UAC
Organization: University of Alaska - Fairbanks
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 08:44:00 GMT

In article <d0Wl02wm24jy01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com>, agr00@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Anthony G Rose) writes...
>In article <16774@pitt.UUCP> geb@cs.pitt.edu (Gordon Banks) writes:
>>In article <51bc025P24NJ01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> agr00@juts.ccc.amdahl.com (TONY ROSE) writes:
>>>Could an LDS please explain a question that I have had concerning the
>>>Scriptures you accept?  My question is this:
>>>
>>>In the Doctrine and Coventents, Section 135 Verse 3, I read that the
>>>Book Of Mormon "contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel".  This is
>>>also stated in Section 27:5 and a few other places throughout the D&C.
>>>
>>>The definition for "fullness", according to Webster, is: "complete".
>>>The definition for "everlasting", according to Webster, is: "Eternity;
>>>lasting through all time".

There is a spirit of wrangling, of contention on this thread that is not of the
Lord.  The so-called "Honest Question for LDS" is not an honest question.  It
is a question designed to shoot down anothers faith.  There is no profit in
asking or answering such a question.

What did the Lord mean when he wrote the word "fullness" in the above quote. 
To suppose you can figure out anything by looking in the dictionary shows your
lack of scholarship.  Which dictionary?  Which definition?  How many
definitions were there?  Do you know which definition the Lord was using?  How
can you be sure that the Lord wasn't using a definition not included?

Jesus Christ spoke to the young Joseph Smith when he was only fourteen years
old.  All the wrangling, scripture quoting, and dictionary quoting in the world
can't change that.  It happened.  If you don't think it happened, then too bad
for you.  Not everybody is ready for the truth.  Mormons may not be the only
Christians in the world, but they have far greater knowledge of Christ than
other Christians because he has visited us.  We have a prophet sent by Christ.  
He's not a false prophet.  WE have access to a lot more information about
Christ than can be found in the Bible only.

Furthermore, I know what I'm talking about.  I have prayed to know about these
things, and God has answered my prayers.  Also I understand reason and logic. 
Reason and logic declare that the LDS faith is true....given the fundamental
premise that the Savior visited the boy, Joseph.

Some people with little understanding read those verses that say a man cannot
see God and live to prove Joseph was a liar.  These same people think that
there is only one God, and that Jesus is God.  These same people think that the
New Testament is flawless truth even where it declares that the risen Lord
visited the followers of Christ in the upper room.  Well, why didn't they all
drop dead?  How could they see God and live?  Obviously, somebody doesn't
understand the verse in the Old Testament that says a man cannot look upon God. 
Obviously, the statement meant something that needed to be qualified by
something else.

The point I'm making is that people disagree because people are different. 
They like different things.  They think different things.  It's OK for them to 
disagree.  If there is anything about religion that eludes us today, the Lord
will enlighten us later.

Arguing about religion just confuses people.  Sometimes those who are the most
confused are the same as those who most want to have their ideas accepted.

Jesus Christ is the center of the Mormon faith.  Joseph Smith was sent by Jesus
Christ.  If we reject Joseph, we are rejecting Jesus.  The Book of Mormon is
another testament of Jesus Christ.  These things are true.  If you don't
believe them, that's OK.  The truth isn't for everybody.  Not everybody is
intelligent enough to recognize the truth when they see it.  If you love Jesus,
if you truly love the truth, you will eventually come to know what I have
learned:  Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior, the Creator of all; and He sent
Joseph Smith to us so we could learn anew some things that we Christians had
forgotten over the last two thousand years.

Let's not fight over religion.  Jesus doesn't like it.  I'll tell you what I
believe.  You tell me what you believe.  Let's not attack each other.  Let's
not try to "prove" that we are right.  Let's love each other.