An open letter to the Mormons

Lvov (Ukraine), July 7, 2011

Representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints

Dear representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

Your Church was founded at La Fayette, New York, on April 6, 1830. In 1820, Joseph Smith as a 14-year-old boy had a vision in prayer. Jesus told him, as he said, not to join any of the Churches because “these people draw near to Me with their mouth, but their heart is far from Me … they teach as doctrines the commandments of men … they have a form of godliness but deny its power”. Therefore the Mormon missionaries preach that the early Church fell away from the true faith shortly after the death of the Apostles and that “it was only through Joseph Smith that the Lord restored His Church and priesthood on earth”. The Mormon faith lays stress on mission. Mission is performed by young men (19-21 years old) who are sent into all the world. Premarital sexual relationship and marital infidelity are strictly forbidden in this Church, the same as homosexuality. The Mormons abstain from smoking, alcohol, even coffee and black tea, and they scarcely eat meat.

We ask: Why have Your sacred books been revised so many a time if Your doctrine does not allow it? Are the teachings about the Lamanites and Nephites true? Why were some of the Mormon prophecies not fulfilled, particularly those that had been uttered by Joseph Smith, and why are there different versions contrary to his visions? Is the Book of Mormon sufficient evidence to prove that Jesus really acted among the native Indians in America? Are the doctrine of baptism of the dead and numerous other doctrines based on the Holy Scripture?

Secret initiation is similar to that of the Masons. Many of the early members were also members of this secret antichristian organization. The Masons dedicate themselves to antigod and antichrist. It is painful that many Christian U.S. Presidents were members of the Masonic lodges. The apostate Pope John Paul II officially received the Masons into the Catholic Church by removing their excommunication in 1982.

You are called the Church of Jesus Christ. But the question is whether You really are the Church of Jesus Christ or not. The most essential thing for belonging to the Church of Christ is the belief in Jesus Christ. Jesus is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father … Through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” (Credo) The Old-Testament prophets testified about Jesus; the New-Testament prophets emphasize the essence of salvation which we attain through the saving faith in Jesus Christ. There is salvation in no one but Jesus Christ alone (cf. Acts 4:12). The essence of Christianity is to receive Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior and “to lose one’s life for His sake and the Gospel’s” (Mk 8:35). “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God … who were born not of the will of the flesh but of God.” (Jn 1:12) “Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Lk 24:47) Sins are forgiven in Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus died on Golgotha for You, for Your sins, and, being God, He rose from the dead. Have You received Jesus Christ as Your personal Savior and Lord? Are You a child of God and an heir to God’s kingdom (Rom 8:17)?

“He who has the Son has eternal life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1Jn 5:11-12) Do You have eternal life or not?

The saving faith is a question of humility and truth. In the hour of death we shall need nothing but to stand in the light of God’s truth and to call upon the name of Jesus – Jehoshua. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10:13)

Who can forgive sins but God alone? Jesus said: “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Mt 9:2-7)

The Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible in many respects. The purpose of the Bible is that all men be saved, and salvation is only in Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 4:12). After death comes God’s Judgement and then eternal life in glory for those who remained faithful to Jesus Christ and were true witnesses to Him. On the other hand, those who rejected Him remain in their sins and they will be eternally condemned in hell.

Jesus promised the Apostles: “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you shall be My witnesses – ‘martyres’.” (Acts 1:8) Do You preach this same Jesus Christ who was preached by the Apostles? Do You have this same Spirit who was received by the Apostles on the day of Pentecost? They preached in the power of God, saying: Jesus died for our sins and, being God, He rose from the dead. And God worked many wonders through the Apostles (cf. Acts 2:42-43).

We have to state that “the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” cannot be called a Christian Church because it does not have the Spirit of Christ (cf. Rom 8:9) but a different spirit contrary to the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of truth and repentance. “Repent (change your minds), and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15) In these latter days, put Jesus Christ as the foundation, the centre and the top of Your faith and mission. The official Catholic Church and some Protestant Churches can no longer be called Christian as they have lost the Spirit of Christ and received the spirit of antichrist. In these end times, do the opposite and you will be a true Church of Jesus Christ, true Christians. For the time being, You just have the name of a Christian Church but, in reality, You are no Church of Christ.

On behalf of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

+ Elijah

Patriarch

+ Methodius OSBMr    + Timothy OSBMr

Secretaries of the BCP

Copies to:

–         U.S. President and Congress

–         U.S. mass media