When I read in Christian News about a Mormon facing the facts about her religion's actual history and claims, I thought of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Synod, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. The micro-minis are far worse examples of the same tendencies.
Each group has faithful ministers and pastors, but everyone is kept in ignorance about the group's actual doctrine and history.
Like Mormons, they go into shock when they learn the truth. Like Mormons, the ones who know the facts are forced to submit or they are driven away.
Both religions love-bomb people into the group and hate-bomb them out.
They keep going with secrecy and corruption. When I mentioned the WELS missionaries who went Pentecostal, possibly in Taiwan, I was told, "Never speak about that."
Most Lutherans realize that Mormons are not Christians. But the singular tenet of the Synodical Conference is not Christian either. Do Lutherans really believe they are born forgiven? Do they imagine that all the head-hunters, Buddhists, atheists, and Mormons are already saved? The WELS evangelism banner said that, "You are saved, just like me."
Joseph Smith and Bring'em Young were pathological, lying polygamists. Bishop Martin Stephan was, too, and the Saxon leaders knew it, too. Smith denied the truth, and so did Stephan, but the leaders knew the sordid truth in both cases. The public records and histories of the LCMS have extensive evidence of the colony's knowledge of Stephan's adultery before the trip to Perry County and prior to the Walther-organized mob. Court records. Testimony from Mrs. Stephan. House arrest of Stephan. Obvious meeting with young ladies. Groupies in Europe in America.
Walther has this tidbit about the bishop he pledged to obey - Mrs. Stephan was the cause of their problems. And that was passed on, as a private explanation, in Suelflow's hagiography. Cults slander the innocent, but many readers know that already.
The turning point for the Stephanites was the spread of syphilis among the young women in the cult. The dramatic confession story--launching the mob scene-- was a lie, as acknowledged in their defense of Walther against the charge of violating the confessional. Everybody knew about the adultery - 'twar no secret. Stephan brought his main mistress over, but left his sick wife and syphilitic children behind.
Mormons and Lutheran intermarriage in the early days made telling the truth about origins...awkward. Every secret was a family secret. Ludwig Fuerbringer's mother was also married to CFW Walther's brother - and she knew about the kidnapping and mob that no one ever discussed.
The Lutheran and Mormon leaders are all obsessed with money and use their religion to feather their own nests in the Name of the Lord.
Mormons and Lutherans would rather look at shadows of puppets on the wall (Plato's Cave Analogy) than be dragged to the entrance of the cave and forced to face the sunlight.
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| http://humanitiesartlit.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/platos-cave/ |
