Mormon Says Joseph Smith's Teaching is "Rubbish"

I don't know exactly when.

You guys LDS?

Yes.

Yes?

Why do you believe Joseph's a prophet, guys? Why do you believe Joseph's a prophet?

I don't know.

You don't know?

How long have you been Mormon for?

All my life.

Born and raised?

Yeah.

Where from, here?

Yep.

Yeah?

How about you?

What?

Why do you believe Joseph's a prophet? Don't be scared. Are you scared the bus is going to hit you?

Okay.

I wasn't expecting it.

Okay.

Why do you believe he's a prophet?

It's tough coming from a non-member. It's pretty entertaining.

Are you a member?

No. No? But...

I'm looking.

Well, let me ask you. You were born and raised, so... Why do you... Well, you must have over here, so... Why do you believe? I just do.

I've had many experiences in the church that have led me to believe that it's true.

Experience? So experience is your test for truth?

Yeah.

So what would you say to, say, a Muslim that believes that Jesus didn't die on a cross, and didn't rise from the dead? But he believes in his heart. With all of his heart, he's had this great experience.

He believes it is true. What would you say to him?

That's his right.

So he's...

So Jesus is not... Did not die on a cross?

Um, honestly, just coming from me, I don't care what he believes, because he has no effect on me or my life, so...

But what about truth?

Do you love truth?

Um, depends on who I'm talking to.

What about Jesus?

Jesus says your word is truth. Do you believe that?

Um...

He believes...

He was saying God's word is truth.

I would like to believe that.

Well, do you?

Yeah.

Okay, so have you ever tested Joseph by that standard of truth, God's word? Have you ever tested Joseph's testimony and his teachings by scripture?

No, because I don't feel I have to.

Why not?

I just don't feel I do.

Do you know the Bible tells you to test all things?

I do.

So would you, as a faithful Mormon, would you want to do that?

Yeah.

So can I give you one thing just to kind of shoot at?

Sure.

Just as a question. Are you going on a mission, or you've been on a mission?

I'm not going on a mission, actually.

Okay.

The Test of Truth and the Authority of Scripture

So Joseph taught that God was once a man who became a god one day.

Right.

Right?

And that you can become a god through your obedience and works of your own planet one day, right?

Yeah, yeah.

So God says in Isaiah 4310, before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me. What would you say to God?

Um...

Well, I actually don't believe that, that we're going to be our own god. I don't... I think that's complete rubbish.

I just don't...

So you reject Joseph's teaching on that?

You do?

Yes.

So you're a Mormon who rejects Joseph's teachings?

Yeah.

I didn't say I was a good Mormon.

Okay, no, no. I understand. Well, let me just say this to you. We're here because we love you. We don't look down on you. We care for you guys deeply. And we're here because we're Christians and care for you.

And Joseph Smith, we believe, was a false teacher, taught a false god and a false gospel. And we're concerned for you more than anything else. We want you to know the true God, the only one, who offers salvation as a gift, apart from works, through faith in Jesus and what he accomplished.

Joseph had false prophecies. He taught that Jesus was going to return in his generation. The Bible teaches in Deuteronomy 18 that the way that you and I will know if someone's a false prophet is if they have even one failed prophecy.

Joseph had many. So did Brigham. So we know based on that he's a false prophet. His teachings, he taught that Jesus was Lucifer's brother. Satan and Jesus are brothers. So are we, according to Joseph.

But in the Bible, in John chapter 1, it teaches that Jesus created everything in existence, including Satan. Without him, nothing came into being that's coming to be. So if you would, hey, I'm Jeff. You can get to me on that website right there.

Just, you can contact me. I'd love to talk to you if you ever have time, if you ever think about it, okay? What was your name?

Pedro.

Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you guys.