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Someone once said, and it’s often repeated that we should “preach the gospel whenever we can, and if necessary, use words.” Our lives should always reflect our relationship with Jesus, but that statement is not what the Bible tells us.
Romans 10:17 Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.
Ephesians 6:19 [pray for me] that words may be given to me to open my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel.
Words are necessary. Some very well behaving people can be found in Mormonism. They live by religious law - obey or else. Yet they believe a very false gospel, a false Jesus and a god who was once only a mere human like us. Obviously we need to use words to communicate the gospel as well as living worthy of who we are, adopted children of God. Only God’s words are powerful enough to bring salvation to someone, so we need to be sure to use God’s Word which comes with His promise that it “will not return to Him void until it accomplishes that which He sends it out to do.” (Isaiah 55:11).
Our purpose is to bring Biblical truths to Mormon polygamists. For people who refuse to believe the Bible is true, trustworthy and authoritative it’s an impossible task, except that God is using HIS Word to touch their hearts. Resistance is everywhere. Mormonism is filled with unbelief and idolatry, yet we trust God is working in these hardened hearts to save those who will believe that Jesus ALONE is the Savior, and polygamy isn’t.
We thank you for your prayers and support that make it possible for us to bring Biblical truths to polygamists
“In his remarks Pres. Snow said in part: I know the destiny of the Latter-day Saints. I know my destiny, providing I keep in the path the Lord has marked out. I know what you—brethren and sisters—can reach. We are all the children of God—all that live upon the earth. God loves us all. When Jesus died, he died for the whole human family. He died that we might become Gods and Goddesses in eternity” (A Ministry of Meetings: Diaries of Rudger Clawson, Stan Larson, ed., p. 318). Bill McKeever; In Their Own Words, pg 174.
BUT THE BIBLE SAYS….
1 KINGS 8:60—That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
ISAIAH 37:20—Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.
ISAIAH 44:8—Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
ISAIAH 45:18—For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
MORMON POLYGAMY HISTORY
~~It all began with Joseph Smith~~
“A woman is limited by the law of God to one husband; and she has no right to suffer her love to go beyond those limits. Her love ... must be confined where the law of God confines it... A man loves many wives because God gives him many; and he is required to love them, or become a transgressor. If God required a woman to have many husbands, or permitted her to have a plurality, it would then be her duty to cultivate the principle of love towards them all; but this would not be an easy task, unless the woman were made the head of the family; for one cannot serve two masters. As the husband is the master of the house, if a woman had two husbands or masters, she would be sure, according to the words of Christ, "to hate the one and love the other," for no one can love and serve two masters; but two can love one master; yes, a hundred wives can love one master or husband, for he is their head, even as Christ is the great Master and Head of the Church.” ~ Mormon apostle Orson Pratt, The Seer, pg 154.
"One day in the month of February, 1843…[Joseph Smith] invited me to walk with him. During our walk, he said he had learned that there was a sister back in England to whom I was very much attached. I replied there was… He then said, `Why don't you send for her?' I replied, `In the first place, I have no authority to send for her, and if I had, I have not the means to pay expenses.' To this he answered, `I give you authority to send for her, and I will furnish you with means,' which he did. This was the first time the Prophet Joseph talked with me on the subject of plural marriage. He informed me that the doctrine and principle was right in the sight of our Heavenly Father, and that it was a doctrine which pertained to celestial order and glory. After giving me lengthy informations concerning the doctrine of celestial or plural marriage, he concluded his remarks by the words, `It is your privilege to have all the wives you want.' After this introduction, our conversations on the subject of plural marriage were very frequent, and he appeared to take particular pains to inform and instruct me in respect to the principle. He also informed me that he had other wives living besides his first wife Emma, and in particular gave me to understand that Eliza R. Snow, Louisa Beman, Desdemona W. Fullmer and others were his lawful wives in the sight of Heaven."
After the revelation on celestial marriage was written Joseph continued his instructions, privately, on the doctrine, to myself and others.”
Feb 1843, William Clayton. Scribe for Joseph Smith
D.M. wrote: “The moment you go to the bible for authority you’ll expose lots of religions especially Mormonism and Roman Catholicism which change and add to the scriptures which is why the bible is despised and ignored - The Holy Spirit alone sanctifies the believer - not works or practices - faith alone is the only way.”
C.M. wrote: “Mormonism is rules, rules, rules. I love it. It is the most correct religion on earth.”
N.B. wrote: “Cohabitation is not the same as polygamous marriage forced under religion ..... in one case there is choice, in the other case, there is forced marriage ..... not the same ....”
R.B. wrote: “I remember being SO relieved to know that I will NEVER be a goddess, knowing that I am not that great of a human being, and that the Mormon version of being a goddess does not sound like any fun at all. Thank the one and only REAL GOD, ALL their "doctrine" is a lie”.
C.K. wrote: “So neat that you are still running this show. I discovered it recently and have been watching a lot of the older episodes and am amazed at the work and outreach that you’re doing. Thanks for making the truth known.”
Eternal Life, becoming glorified in the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom, the men earning godhood, the women are goddesses. They are an eternal family. “Only those who obey the fulness of the gospel law will inherit eternal life … Thus those who gain eternal life receive exaltation; they are sons of God, joint heirs with Christ, members of the Church of the Firstborn; they overcome all things, have all power, and receive the fulness of the Father. They are gods.” Mormon Doctrine, pg 237
(www.mrm.org/eternal-life-definition)
Polygamists teach that only through polygamy can a man or woman reach this celestial glory of eternal life.
(continued)
My courtship was a whirlwind. My “Romeo” was preoccupied with so many other things, he insisted we get married the following month despite my request for at least six to nine months to get to know each other. He said, “I am a married man I can't have a long courtship,” which caused me deep disappointment, but I decided that it was God's will and I must do what was best for the family. We took six weeks to get to know each other. We worked together getting the house built, always with one of the children or another wife present. I loved our times together, it felt like I was part of something bigger than myself.
One time after a long and tiring day, I got home only to find about 75 women in the house waiting for my arrival. They all shouted “surprise!” I was not sure what the surprise was for until they informed me that it was my bridal shower. "Go down and get showered and ready," my sister-wife to be said. I was quite upset by it all. Everyone dressed so nicely and clean, hair and makeup done. I quickly put on some clean clothing and decided to make the best of it! It was nice, because everyone had been there for awhile waiting for me. My mother was not invited, of course this was because she had left the group and would not approve of my decision. I was embarrassed and exhausted and hungry and as we do in polygamy groups, we just stuff all our emotions, put on a happy face not letting anyone know our genuine emotional condition. There were many gifts from many people, my sister-wives-to-be also prepared some nice gifts for this occasion.
The best gift was saved for last, it was from all my future sister wives. I blushed when I opened it, they said, "we wanted to get you something really nice for your wedding night." It was a beautiful pink silk long sleeved night gown. I was a bit shocked. I didn't want them knowing what I was wearing on my wedding night. I also thought it looked like something my grandmother would wear, anything sexy was not even considered. I thought about exchanging it for something else, but that was not going to happen. My husband would not approve of anything sexy and I wouldn't want to disappoint him by me being too worldly.
~ continued
Forty-six year old Samuel Rappylee Bateman, a polygamist from the FLDS polygamy group has been accused of incest, group sex acts involving adults and children– some as young as 9 — and child sex trafficking, having 20 wives most who are under the age of 15, and one of them his own daughter. His family told investigators in early 2019 that he had felt prompted to take his own teenage daughter as his wife.
Bateman “began to proclaim he was a prophet” in 2019, he gained 50 followers, the majority of his wives are daughters, sisters and mothers from two extended polygamous families, according to the affidavit. Audio recordings from November 2021 indicate Bateman said “Heavenly Father” had instructed him to “give the most precious thing he has, his girls’ virtue,” to three of his adult male followers. Bateman then allegedly watched the three adult men have sex with his daughters, one of whom was only 12 years old. He said the daughters had “sacrificed their virtue for the Lord” and God would restore their virginity.
The judge ordered Bateman remain behind bars while the case winds through the court.
~ adapted from the New York Post
- Pray for two families who have left a polygamy group and are subsequently suffering tough economic backlash. Pray also that we can have an open door to faithfully discuss God’s true Gospel to them and that God will open their hearts to believe.
- A former plural wife is in need of extensive and expensive dental work. If you would like to help, write “dental expenses” on your contribution.
- Pray for wisdom and inspiration in preparing our verbal responses to the polygamists false doctrine.
Just call Doris: 801-649-3103, or Email: doris@shieldandrefuge.org |
