The anti-Mormon’s and some ex-Mormons play a dangerous game. A trick used by them is to create confusion. Since none of them carry the truth about anything, they will work to inject confusion, because that is all that they have to entice, coerce, and convince members and potential members that this Church is false.
There are many ways to confuse, but one main ingredient that many of these wicked persons use is “ignorance”. That is to promote ignorance or use yours. What I mean is they are using any “lack of knowledge” on your part or “keeping you from the truth”.
They will use interpretations of God’s doctrine that are not true, yet they will hail it as truth. Unless a person knows what the true doctrine is and understands it, then there is a likelihood that person may get misled. Some of the most common false doctrines used by them is the “Trinity” doctrine, claiming it is of God when it is not. Here they will not tell you that the history of that doctrine came by political manipulation and had nothing to do with God. That doctrine was sealed as part of the early Catholic church dogma to appease the discontentment and division among the churches and to appease the government of that time. Another is the claim that the son of God, Jesus Christ, was conceived by the Holy Ghost and not the Father in heaven.
Doctrinal based confusion is already rampant in the Christian communities and the best defense to this is to “know the doctrine of God”. Read the scriptures to learn the true doctrine, pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to help you learn and if you are sincere and humble enough, diligent in your faith, the Holy Ghost will teach you.
Another method of confusion is to make false claims that are far fetched against the prophet. Using the worldly way of judgement, judge Joseph Smith as foolish and in error. One of the most widely used claim is that Joseph Smith is a murderer, claiming that he carried a gun and shot at those who were trying to break into the room. This is the twist they use to lay a false image on the Prophet. The rabble were a mob with guns, determined to kill Joseph Smith. They acted in pure evil and Joseph Smith defended himself. A normal act for anyone, to defend themselves, but this is not the image they want you to believe.
Another is to make claims that are impossible to research because it is based on false information. Whether they believed in it or not, is not the point. The point is the damage they want to do with it. Such as the statistics of those leaving the Church opposed to the numbers joining. Their use of the numbers is a blind method, meaning they do not care for the reasons why others leave, they only care that they are leaving. This means such persons who leave because they were evil themselves, excommunicated or convinced to leave because of their evils, or people who create such a personal issue about something, which seeds evil in their hearts, grasp all sorts of “issue making” claims and leave the Church. None of these are valid reasons for leaving, they are selfish and self-serving.
Essentially, when you feel confused and doubtful of what is said or what was done, about this Church or about your testimony or belief in this Church, then it is time to step back, withdraw from the harmful influence and pray to the Father for help. In sincerity, help is given, but remember, the Lord may allow you to suffer the confusion long enough to make you humble so that you can receive his spiritual help. So long as you remain faithful, spiritually, to the Father and Jesus Christ, you will pull through. This type of faith means, that even though you cannot yet accept what the Church says, that so long as you do not contend against it, place it on “hold”, as you seek help from the Father in heaven, remain faithful in your heart and mind to God, keeping yourself from contention and doubt, giving yourself space and time, endure whatever you have to endure, God will help you figure things out.
This worked for me and it will work for you.
From this I devised a personal motto. I never accept, condone, support, anything that causes confusion. Contention, even disguised as “healthy debate” is not acceptable to the Lord and his Spirit.
Amen
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