Based upon the Rock of God’s Word in the Bible Apprising Ministries recently, and publicly, took a strong stand against the non-Christian cult of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) in Apprising Ministries to Glenn Beck and the whining has already begun:

—– Original Message —–
From: AM Reader
To: apprising@hughes.net
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 12:32 PM
Subject: Please specify a source for Mormon information — Apprising Ministries contact form

Hello,

I was reading an article by Ken Silva about the Mormon Jesus Christ. In it he states that God had sex with the virgin Mary so that Jesus could be conceived. This is not official Mormon doctrine. I question thisstatement and don’t believe it helps people who are looking for honest answers about the church. We will all be judged about what we say and if we judge wrongly. Please send me the source of that as well as the source of the belief the God has sex with his wives.

Thank you,

AM Reader

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Hello AM Reader,

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries. Referring to Apprising Ministries to Glenn Beck you say I stated: “God had sex with the virgin Mary so that Jesus could be conceived.” You are correct; you see, as one who lived in heavily LDS southern Wyoming for ten years, and as one who has personally studied Mormonism with many, many Mormons I did make that statement.

The fact is I know very well what Mormon prophets like Brigham Young taught and I have also seen the public backpeddling about it by wishy-washy Mormon leadership today. In that they really are like-(double)minded with apostatizing evangelical Christian leadership fearful of conflict with the world.

That said, the sources are here in this piece below from an excellent Christian work by my friend Bill McKeever called Mormonism Research Ministry:

Redefining the Virgin Birth: Mormonism’s Teaching Concerning the Natural Conception of Jesus

And you will find much more information from LDS publications in this article from Utah Lighthouse Ministry, a ministry whom I have had the pleasure to meet personally and know well:

Salt Lake City Messenger, November 1994, Issue 87

Granted you might not like what is cited but the burden of proof is upon you to prove that these citations are untrustworthy because they are, in very fact, taken from official Mormon publications. And as such they testify as primary sources in much the same way a lawyer will bring in eyewitnesses to testify before a jury in a court of law.

I pray this helps you realize that I am very thorough in the way I do my homework.

For Christ’s honor I labor,

Pastor Ken Silva

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—– Original Message —–
From: AM Reader
To: Apprising Ministries
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: Please specify a source for Mormon information — Apprising Ministries contact form

Thanks for the response. I have read through and will continue to analyze. Bottom line is that the church has no official position on how Christ was conceived. How is anyone supposed to know exactly? To me it is almost irrelevant because it has nothing to do with the teachings of Christ or his mission on earth. That is what we look to for salvation.

Thanks again,

AM Reader

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AM Reader,

Not a problem, I thank the Lord for the privilege of having this website, which I never asked God for, to be able to share this with you. While my position of defense in the Body of Christ is as a middle linebacker, which means I’m often quite aggressive in confronting falsehood, but I’m not at all hostile to individuals who ask honest questions such as you have, k.

I take it you are a Mormon so I will assure you that I have personally researched the LDS Church for almost 20 years now. You say: “Bottom line is that the church has no official position on how Christ was conceived.” This is actually not the bottom line and, unfortunately, it’s only partially true.

Here’s the bottom line: The President of the Mormon Church is considered God’s prophet on earth. Brigham Young unquestionably held that position. And in the piece listed below from another ministry I have a personal relationship with, Watchman Fellowship, you’ll see that Brigham Young said: “I have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the children of men, that they may not call Scripture. Let me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is as good Scripture as they deserve.”

Brigham Young exclaims: Thus Saith The Prophet of God?

You’ll find this article from CARM to be of value as well:

Interesting Quotes from Brigham Young the Second Prophet of the Mormon Church

So you should now be able to understand that, as President of the Mormon Church-God’s prophet (according to LDS theology)-the LDS Church does have “official position on how Christ was conceived” as I shared with you earlier. And here’s where we get to the heart of the matter as you say: “it has nothing to do with the teachings of Christ or his mission on earth. That is what we look to for salvation.”

Ah, but this has everything to do with Christ and His mission and as such affects one’s salvation, which is why I will vehemently defend the true nature of Christ Jesus of Nazareth from other Jesuses (see-2 Corinthians 11:4, 12-15). So in closing I’ll share again the Jesus of Mormonism vs. the Jesus of the Bible and you’ll see they cannot possibly be the same person.

Here now is the “Jesus of Mormonism” as he introduces himself to you:

I am the Jesus Christ of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). My original Church went through a total apostasy and I took the Priesthood from the earth. In 1820 by one account—as there are nine different accounts—I appeared with Heavenly Father to Joseph Smith who would be the prophet to restore my Church. I told him that everything the historic Christian Church had taught was an abomination in my sight and that all who believe in those doctrines are corrupt. I am the spirit child who was born first to Heavenly Father, whose name is Elohim, and who has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.

Elohim was once a man who lived on the planet Kolob. He died and was resurrected by his father—after earning his way to godhood—as did his father before him and on back. Heavenly Father pro-created all of us through sexual relations with one of his celestial wives and we are all his spirit children. I was born first; next was Lucifer, and then on down the line comes you. When the head of the gods—of which there are countless numbers—called a council of the gods I came up with a better plan of salvation than my brother Lucifer did. So I became the Savior for Heavenly Father’s children on earth. I was conceived for my earthly mission when Heavenly Father came down and had sexual relations with his daughter the Virgin Mary.

I sweat great drops of blood for your sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then on the cross I finished my work; and because of that atonement, all persons on this earth are going to be resurrected. And so now you have a chance to earn your way to becoming a god just like me by working the Gospel Principles taught by the Mormon Church. But be careful because my blood was not sufficient to cover some of your sins my prophet Brigham Young once taught for me. He said, “There’s not a man or woman who violates the covenant made with their God that will not be required to pay that debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out. [And y]our own blood must atone for it.”

Now following below is the actual Jesus Christ of Nazareth as found in God’s Word—the Bible:

I am the Jesus of the historic, orthodox Christian Church, which I purchased with My Own blood. I Am the one true and eternal God incarnate—God the Son—second Person of the blessed and Holy Trinity. I am the very Creator of the entire universe and the only Savior of hopelessly lost mankind. There is never a time that I did not exist as I am the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.

And in the fullness of time I was born of the Virgin Mary and clothed with human flesh. Then while on My planet I lived the sinless life necessary of you to come and be in the Presence of God the Father. In My Father’s will and for His glory, I willingly sacrificed My perfect life for yours, and shed My blood on the Cross as an offering for the sins of all who will be regenerated by God the Holy Spirit; who believe in Me.

I bore the wrath of Almighty God that you deserve and as I died in your place I said: “It is finished.” I was buried, but on the third day, I rose again from the dead in the same Body so that you could know that I am the One I claim to be. Now you can trust in Me because by My resurrection you know that I am able to save all those who by God’s grace alone, place their faith alone, in Me alone. I say that in all the universe there is only one God; you are not Him, nor will you ever be.”

I pray this proves helpful to you.

Sincerely,

Pastor Ken Silva

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—– Original Message —–
From:  AM Reader
To: Apprising Ministries
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 4:40 PM
Subject: Re: Please specify a source for Mormon information — Apprising Ministries contact form

Ok. But the problem is that Brigham Young never said that Mary had sex with God. Maybe he said something that people have stretched. Still no official doctrine that Mary had sex with God. So you are lying when you say Mormons believe it or accept as official doctrine. Some official doctrines are the articles of faith, the scriptures, and yes words of a Prophet. It is easy to mix words and publish out of context though.

AM Reader

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Careful now when you say stuff like: “you are lying.” It’s crystal clear what Young said and what those early Mormons believed because of it. Now, if the LDS Church wants to publicly admit one of their “prophets” was wrong, then we can retract it. But what’s going on instead is simply equivocating with what Young said.

“It is easy to mix words and publish out of context though.” No, it’s easy to make that charge when confronted with the evidence though. So now I will say to you: It is easy to remain naive and say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts, I’ve already made up my mind” though.

Pastor Ken Silva

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—– Original Message —–
From: AM Reader
To: Apprising Ministries
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 4:52 PM
Subject: Re: Please specify a source for Mormon information — Apprising Ministries contact form

Send me the quote by Brigham Young which implies or says that God had sex with Mary.

Thanks,

AM Reader

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Ask and ye shall receive:

“The birth of the Savior was as natural as the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood–was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, p. 115).

“When the time came that His first-born, the Saviour, should come into the world and take a tabernacle, the Father came Himself and favoured that spirit with a tabernacle instead of letting any other man do it.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, Page 218.) “The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood — was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8, page 115).

And LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie, a member of the First Council of the Seventy, stated “There is nothing figurative about his paternity; he was begotten, conceived and born in the normal and natural course of events…” (Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie, page 742.)

Whose son is Jesus? Who is his mother?

Pastor Ken Silva

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—– Original Message —–
From: AM Reader
To: Apprising Ministries
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: Please specify a source for Mormon information — Apprising Ministries contact form

Thanks. Those are excellent quotes and show that God works by the laws of nature. Very insightful if you ask me. God is the father of Jesus and Mary his Mother. We can’t explain how God caused Mary to become pregnant. I’m not going to question that he has the power to do it in a way we don’t understand. If it was similar to the way we understand it then so be it. How do you explain it? God lives and loves us. He speaks to each of us today. I have felt His spirit and cannot deny it. His Spirit has borne witness that I believe in the Christ who was born in Bethlehem, died on the cross for all of us and was resurrected. Thanks for the insight.

AM Reader