I asked him how he knew this to be true. Trying to patronize my Biblical orientation he mentioned several obscure texts from the Old Testament which had no more to do with the Mormon church than with the story of Santa Claus. I believe that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and he declares these things to be so,' he stated confidently. I protested by saying that the Bible doesn't support that idea. Of course you would go to the most recent because it is revised and is more accurate.
Revelation works the same way.
The logic of his argument is clear, and is not really that unreasonable. But the reasonableness of a position is not necessarily indicative of its accuracy. Virtually every quasi-Christian cult existing now or in the past has been based upon some charismatic personality claiming direct revelation or insight into theological matters transcending that of ordinary men. It is just as certain that when this claim is made, the 'revelations' are used by their followers as a magnifying glass upon the Bible, ultimately distorting its message and reading into the mouths of its authors their own esoteric knowledge which heretofore could not be discerned. Blessed with a knowledge not possessed by other Christians, they claim to be God's special people, his beloved church to the exclusion of all others, and his sole instrument for the evangelization of the world.