Mormon Encounter

I received a visit this evening from two elders (their names slip my mind) from the mormon church.

I decided, as I was not particularly busy, to invite them in and let them tell me a little about their beliefs.

I provided them with refreshments (it had to be ribena, as they would not accept coffee) and allowed them to present me with their 'gospel'.

They went through their usual presentation with new 'potential' converts, slipping in a few scripture references (authorised version too); emphasizing the importance of the family; how the true church has been apostate since the 1st century and that Joseph Smith was visited by none other than God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, then some angels as well as John the Baptist, who all told him directly to re-establish the true church on earth, and write the various extra-Biblical books, making Joseph Smith a true prophet, as well as setting up prophetic succession, whereby the mormon church today still is the only true church, who, by the way, receive direct revelation from God.

I, (amazingly for me I thought), sat silently and listened through this barrage of wild fantasy, and when they had finished put this question to them:

Since there are at least 4 world religions who all exclusively claim that they are the only true church and their prophet(s) (roman catholics with the pope, jehovahs witnesses with their prophets and new light, islam with Muhammad and the mormons with Joseph Smith and their existing prophets) are the only one(s) who claim to be telling the truth and either did, or still are receiving direct revelation from God, how do I know which one to believe?

As they could not answer me, I helped them and gave them the following anecdote:

Imagine you woke up tomorrow morning feeling sick and displaying various quite severe symptoms, and you had a choice of 4 or 5 doctors that you could see to diagnose and treat the problem. Due to your lack of satisfaction at the diagnoses of the doctors, you end up seeing all 5 of them, and each one diagnoses a different illness that is causing your symptoms. How do you make a judgment as to which one to believe about the diagnoses?

They both looked at me blankly.

Surely, I said, you would want to check out somehow the credentials and qualifications of the doctors. Then, having done this, it would be a wise move, I think, to trust the diagnoses of the doctor with the best credentials.

I then asked, what credentials do Joseph Smith, or any of the others mentioned for that matter have to qualify them as true prophets of God?

Can or did they work authenticating signs and miracles as the Biblical prophets did? They had to admit that they didn't or couldn't.

Were or are their prophetical utterances, where they involve future predictions, 100% accurate? They could not answer me this, but I know in every case of a person claiming to be a prophet, including those mentioned above, time and again they fail in this area.

For these reasons alone (although there are others I didn't go in to), I told them, I could not accept the authenticity of the writings of their prophet Joseph Smith (this goes for all the other extra-Biblical prophets also).

At this, they could see that they were not getting anywhere and decided to leave. I'm not sure they'll call again, but I do hope so; perhaps I can then start to debate points of doctrine with them next time. By the way, they did leave me with two gifts:

And

I think I'll auction them on e-bay, starting bid - tuppence. Any takers?