Why I Left Mormonism (Episode 6)

This week (Feb 17) on Shabbat Night Live, when just a little falsehood is mixed with truth, it’s hard to recognize — and that’s the issue with Mormonism.

Jake Hilton explains why the lies of Mormonism are so difficult to decipher, what to ask when examining the foundations of Mormonism, and how to help those questioning their Mormon faith come into the truth of Yeshua.

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 167:00) How do the questionable doctrines of Mormonism dramatize the essential vulnerability of all seekers of salvation regarding the study and interpretation of historical scripture? How do Joseph Smith’s additions to the actual books of the Bible demonstrate the “slippery slope” phenomenon for those who fail to perceive the consistency of YeHoVaH’s commandments?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) How has much of our Western imagery for Satan – from artistic depictions of the Garden of Eden to those of scenarios in Hell, along with cartoonish caricatures – served to obscure the essentially disingenuous nature of his temptation, as in his false flattery of Eve in Genesis 3? Why does the simple act of interweaving lies with truth so frequently result in our human failure of conscience and wisdom?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How is Satan’s insidious plan for the ruin of souls affected by the disillusionment of those faithful who decide to reject Mormonism, and ultimately all religious practice, as a mere cult phenomenon? How can this common reflex toward atheism or agnosticism be viewed as a vindication of the warnings against corrupt leaders from the prophetic scriptures to the writings of Paul?
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 28:00) How do the categorical words of M. Russell Ballard in 2015, in their presumption of disseminating incontrovertible truth from the LDS Church, not only marginalize the truth of the Bible but also absolve followers from developing their devotion by exercising their free will to question, compare and contrast, or reconcile divergent viewpoints in their faith journey?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 31:00) Similarly, how does the resistance of the temptation to embrace agnosticism by some disillusioned followers of Mormonism demonstrate the need for constant prayer and discernment by those believers who recognize individual responsibility for spiritual growth? How could this, in turn, become a growing trend that could possibly compel the LDS leadership to amend their various claims?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 37:00) How does the vulnerable identity of today’s followers of Mormonism illustrate the complexity and unspoken challenge in Yeshua’s exhortation to evangelize? In light of the international scope of the LDS Church, how is the danger of distortion by human beings of the gospels’ truth implicit in the command to teach all nations?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 40:00) Aside from its inherent drama, epic scale, and spiritual significance, the Exodus continues to haunt the imagination of believers of various denominations. How can this event be interpreted as a paradigm of reform, conversion, or divine providence on an intimate, individual level for those who struggle with doctrinal issues on their path to salvation?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 44:00) How can the repurposing of the Bible through the apocryphal texts of Joseph Smith by the LDS Church be viewed as analogous to attempts by numerous media documentary sources or revisionist scholars to minimize or even dismiss the inherent divinity of Christian history, often by reducing the Bible’s important individuals to political figures or crucial events to mere symbols of ideas?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 48:00) How has the notion of “fulfillment” often been poorly understood or distorted throughout evangelical Christianity? How is Yeshua’s statement regarding this in Matthew 5:17 undermined by exclusive use of the New Testament as an independent text, or his controversial command “Be perfect” misunderstood as incongruous, all as a result of a failure to recognize the importance of completion in spiritual growth?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 51:00) How can the imagery of Yeshua’s comprehensive statement in Matthew 10:34-36 be interpreted as both a fulfillment of the prophetic texts and a foreshadowing of the warnings of Paul, Peter, and Jude against the false teachings of men? How might disillusionment with Mormonism result in a disturbing scenario like the concluding passage here, wherein one’s enemies become “those of his own household”?