8 Anti-Mormon Tactics That Satan Uses To Attack The Latter-day Saints
8 Anti-Mormon Tactics That Satan Uses To Attack The Latter-day Saints
Satan is the father of lies and deception. He has many titles including the cunning one. Satan is a master of language and convincing. After all, he was able to sway a third of the host of heaven to follow him. Whereas we do not normally study Satan it is wise to learn the tactics he is using against the Saints! President Ezra Taft Benson taught in the Oct. 1971 General Conference: "A study of Satan’s methods can alert us to his seductions."
With that as the context, let's take a look 8 Anti-Mormon tactics that Satan uses to attack the Latter-day Saints so that we can resist them! But before we continue I'd like to invite you to like my Facebook page.
Before we started, I'd like to invite you to like my Facebook page.1st. Half-truths.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Satan is that he always tells bald-faced lies. Lies that are 100% untrue. But Satan is far wiser than that. Satan's most powerful lies are the ones where he mingles with lies with something that is true.
Like in Genisis 3:3-4 when Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, he told Eve, "Ye shall not surely die" (lie) but "ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (true).
His goal is to keep us from understanding the truth. What is truth? The Lord explained in the Doctrine and Covenants as follows:
"24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning." D&C 93:24-25
Satan is always trying to deceive us, even if he must use something that is true, but hidden in it is a lie! Just like a skilled fisher wraps a hook with a fly, Satan will try to trick you into believing a lie by wrapping it in something true.
M. Russell Ballard
2nd. Irrelevant Appeals.
"Irrelevant appeals attempt to sway the listener with information that, though persuasive, is irrelevant to the matter at hand" (Source). This is by far the most successful of Satan's tactics. Satan is trying to distract, detract, and destroy us with irrelevant facts.
An example, the truth is, "You are a spirit child of Heavenly Father, you have inherent value." Satan would whisper, "You are fat. You are single, and no one wants you."Or "you are too short/tall." Whereas these irrelevant appeals might be factually true, they detract from the truth, and therefore, they are a lie of Satan. Satan is a master liar; he uses irrelevant appeals masterfully.
He uses them against the Church all the time. When someone testifies that the Book of Mormon is true, Satan will say, "But Joseph used a seer stone in a hat!" And? What does that have to do with whether or not it is true? It is an irrelevant appeal. It is a distraction. "The Church is true." "But Brigham Young said...." Once again, saying something that is true but irrelevant, detracts from the truth.
If Satan can distract us from the fact that A is true, getting us to focus instead on B and C, he can get us to undermine our own testimonies. Never let something distract you from your own testimony!
In the words of Richard G. Scott, "Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction."
3rd. Argumentum ad hominem (personal attacks)
Ad Hominem, or 'personal attacks,' is growing ever popular. If you follow politics at all, you've seen it. It is where, instead of addressing the issue, you assassinate the character of the person. Joseph Smith was warned by Moroni in JSH 1:33 that Satan would slander his name among all people. This continues today.
An example, one might testify, "Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God." Then Satan or someone believing his anti, replies, "But Joseph Smith did X, Y, or Z!" Instead of addressing the question, "Is he or is he not a prophet?" They accuse him of everything under the sun; they shout, yell, and slander his name. As my Philosophy Professor would say, their argument is invalid and illogical. And it is also fulfilling Prophecy!
Bruce R. McConkie
4th. Argumentum Ad Lapidem (Appeals to the Stone).
The name of this one is really cryptic, but the concept is simple. Satan often entices people to dismiss the claims of the restoration by simply saying it is absurd, without giving proof of its absurdity. Satan does this all the time. "God showing up to a 14-year-old boy? That's absurd!" Satan never defends this claim of absurdity because he can't. We see this all through Church History. "A golden bible? That's absurd!" or "God speaking to a man in our day? That's absurd!" or "Why would God need us to wear garments? That's absurd!" Instead of actually addressing the doctrine, Satan says, "That's absurd!"
5th. Argumentum Ad Verecundiam (Appeals to Authority).
One might say, "The spirit has testified to my soul that The Book of Abraham is true." And in reply, Satan and his anti would say, "But leading Egyptologists have proven that the papyri translation and the Book of Abraham don't match up!" This actually is a multi-facet fallacy. First, they appeal to authority to justify their stance. Second, they omit the context of this appeal to authority.
When Joseph bought the papyrus scrolls, the edges were tattered, so he trimmed them off and put them in a safe place. He then translated the scrolls into the Book of Abraham. Those scrolls have been lost. What has survived are the tattered edges. It is the edges that the Egyptologists have examined and deemed an inaccurate translation, and not the scrolls that Joseph translated the book of Abraham from!
When someone tries to appeal to the authority or knowledge of man, rely upon the testimony from Deity! When we hear something "new," does it change the witness we already have from the Holy Ghost? In D&C 6:23, the Lord asked, "What greater witness can you have than from God?? Nothing should ever trump what the Holy Ghost has told us!
Deiter F. Utchdorf
6th. False Dilemma
When you falsely think there are only two options to a subject. This is most common among atheist, the idea is, either God would do this, or there is no God. They think. "If I were God, I would do things this way. Things are not this way, therefore there is no God." When in reality, the answer is simple. You are not God!
Elder Delbert L. Stapley
7th. Argumentum Ad Populum (Appeals to the People).
This one is simple also. "Everyone is doing it, therefore it is ok." This is the logic that Satan uses on many of the youth to convince them it is ok to do bad things. This one is often referred to as peer pressure. It is hard to stand against our peers, to do what is right when it is unpopular. Let us follow the counsel of the Prophet Thomas S. Monson: "May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong."
8th. Hasty Generalizations.
Simply put, it is taking the experience of a few and generalizing it for all. "I had a bad experience with one of my Bishops, therefore the whole church is not true." When we make a conclusion based off of little or no experience we are guilty of a Hasty Generalization. Let us remember that other than Christ no one is perfect.
Jeffrey R. Holland
Conclusion.
At the end of the day, the only way to detect and prevent Satan's lies are to gain a testimony from God Himself that this work is true. Once you have a testimony don't let Satan shake it. When he comes saying "Look at this part of Church History you don't know!" You will be able to reply "I have a witness from God that this Church is true!" And thereby overcome Satan's efforts to deceive the elect of God. As President Uchtdorf taught "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."
When someone gives you something that brings you darkness rather than light, ask yourself who is presenting this argument? Don't let the words of apostate members shake your faith. Apostates are not a trustworthy source! They, like Judas, have forsaken all and now fight against Christ. In the famous words of Neal A. Maxwell: "Studying the Church only through the eyes of its defectors [is] like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus."
!["studying the Church only through the eyes of its defectors [is] like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus." Neal A. Maxwell](http://mylifebygogogoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/studying-the-Church-only-through-the-eyes-of-its-defectors-is-like-interviewing-Judas-to-understand-Jesus.-Neal-A.-Maxwell.png)
PS. Special thanks to my Institute teacher Ron Bartholomew, my Philosophy professor Michael Arts, and my English professor Sam Beeson. Thanks for y'alls help with formulating these ideas!
If you would like a PDF copy of the article simply click HERE and then enter your email and it will be emailed to you.
Good article but very disappointed that I could not print it. Would love to give a copy to my non-member grandkids and discuss it with them. I don't do social media like facebook, etc.
I'll email you a copy.
at the end of the article is instruction how to get a copy
go to the end of the article (below the final quote, by neal a maxwell"
read the last four lines and find the line that reads,
"If you would like a PDF copy of the article simply click HERE and then enter your email and it will be emailed to you."
click the red-highlighted "click HERE"
that opens to a new page, entitled "Lesson Handouts", the first of which is the lesson abt the 8 anti-mormon tactics.
scroll down a little bit until you see an image of part of a temple and the title of the article you want
enter your name
and your email address
click the "i agree to the terms" box
then press the "download now" button
open your email new box and the new mail from My Life By Gogo Goff should be there
Thank you for this article! I reviewed each point with my kids and I've saved it to refer to later. Very good!!
Does it surprise you when some people do not sustain the prophet and/or criticize the Church one way or another. I am a convert. I am the only member where ever I am most of the time so I am used to criticisms. It comes as no surprise. People have closed the doors to religion because of different reasons and/or events. Of course I would feel much better if my family was in the Church. I enjoy being with my father who is 84 , does not want to hear about religion but goes to the cemetery pray for his father and mother. I remember I have been on both side of the fence. I am a very curious person so I find it hard that people are not interested in finding the truth. Give it a try.
Can I get a copy of this article?
I'll email you also.
copy please?!
sent
I would love a copy.....Very appropriate today Thanks
emailed.
Me too for a copy please.
emailed.
I would like a copy too. Thank you for sharing.
emailed
Great article! I too, would like a copy!
emailed.
I have an issue with attributing the origination of the phrase, "choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong" to Pres. Monson. That would be like attributing, "Ask not what your country can do for you..." to me because, well, I used it once in a speech. The fifth sentence of the Cadet Prayer of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, is, "Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won." This was written in about 1920 my COL Clayton Wheat, Chaplain and head of the English Department at West Point. Quote the correct source. And, in my opinion, every time the Church prints anything with this quote in it, it should be footnoted and properly attributed.
Walter Lowe,
USMA class of 1975
Thanks for this insight, I will need to look more into this topic.
I feel the same about Pres. Hinckley and the train story. It was clear in his biography that he was quoting someone else, but when I read it, it's usually attributed directly to him.
Same goes for Pres Hinckley's "most puts don't drop" speech. The first time he used that quote was in a Deseret News article that he wrote, and attributed the quote appropriately. Now other LDS publications and meme writers attribute it to him, but it isn't accurate. It is important that we still attribute quotes to their original source.
It is not necessary to cite original citations when quoting the remarks of another article. The rules of citation do not require this. Especially, in the case of a paraphrase. In fact, the “Ask not” quotation is not original with JFK.
Four years into Lowe's comments...
President Thomas S. Monson said, "May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong." Period!
He was a Prophet of God. Honest and forthright in all his dealings; especially in his writings.
COL Wheat as you correctly stated said,"...Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won..."
Similar words, different intent and meaning between the two men.
Quit tilting at windmills.
PS I appreciate you not posting your rank and branch...
I would like a copy
emailed.
Thanks for sharing your insight into a subject that I didn't consider carefully.
Emailed.
Could I please also get a copy thanks
I would also love a copy to print and share with my children. Thank you for a well written and thought out post.
Emailed!
Cogent, well argued, and simply stated. Enjoyed the article!
Thank you!
I'd like a copy please
Emailed.
IMHO, those who try these anti-Mormon tactics are those who are insecure in their own faith, and/or have some fear that we are right, and they don't like that, so they fight against us, "kick against the pricks" as it were, so that if they can get one Mormon to leave the church, or keep one from joining, it validates their choices of faith, even though they are wrong.And deep down they know they are wrong.
I love this point - perfectly stated and spot on !! So true ...
Wow, thanks! Happy New year!
So True
Thanks!
Personal question: Tongan?
Would love to share this with my family. Can I get a copy? Thank you in advance!
sent
The picture of Jesus does kind of look like Barry Gibb.
I’d like a copy please
sent!
Thank you so much for the insight. As I was reading, the Spirit literally hit me when I came to the "distraction" issue. To me, and today, it had a particular meaning. One thing that I realized Satan always does with me is making me feel awful because of the sufferings of the world, while I can enjoy a certain level of welfare. What happens is that I see pictures on Facebook or hear horrible news and I feel like I don't deserve anything, and that the essence of my life is unfair. Through this powerful tool I get to feel completely paralyzed. But as I was reading I definitely realized that I am not responsible for the circumstances I was born in or other children of God have to go through. I can do what I can and I surely must do it. But I came to realize everyone has her or his own path. We need to understand it and to embrace it fully. So we can fully serve and give relief to the world as much as possible. Satan will try to distract you from understanding your specific purpose. So we need to concentrate and align with the Holy Ghost, and just being unstoppable. That is what I believe. Thank you again Gogo for reminding me the truth of things.
I fight that one all the time. I have to remind myself it's a twisted idea from Satan.
Your article is very well done. We need more people that are willing to think critically and stand faithfully. Thank you!
I would love a copy, thanks.
Sent.
PS From now on I will refer people to the newly created page where you can download it yourself. See http://mylifebygogogoff.com/lesson-handouts
Love the article. Please email me a copy so I can print it. Thank you.
Sent.
PS From now on I will refer people to the newly created page where you can download it yourself. See http://mylifebygogogoff.com/lesson-handouts
Great article! Can you email me a copy of this please? Thank you!
If you go to http://mylifebygogogoff.com/lesson-handouts there is a download link.
I would also love a copy over here in England. Thank you for posting this valuable piece.
You can download it from this URL.
http://mylifebygogogoff.com/lesson-handouts
Simply enter your email and it will be emailed to you.
Thanks so much. Am edified.
Here is another tactic. I call it confounding. It is rapid fire accusations without ever resolving any and causing people to give up out of pure frustration. Every accusation can be answered but we need to come to conclusions on matters one at a time.
They neglected one of the most important ways Satan has made War against the Saints.
In 1890 the government was confiscating Church property and imprisoning its leaders.
They need to add outright government force to the top of the list.
This forceful measure has had a deep cutting domino effect.
Why was the government doing that?
Because of plural marriage (polygamy). And I don't think it was because of moral outrage, I think it was because congressmen were guilty of having one or two women on the side, besides their wives, and the Mormons were marrying their women, taking full responsibility for their wives and children.
During the Reed Smoot hearings in the early 20th century, one Senator from Pennsylvania looked around at all his collegues whom he knew were cheating on their wives, and said that he would rather sit next to a polygamist who didn't polyg than a monogamist who didn't monog.
I appreciate this reminder.
(BTW, in the first point, I think you got it backwards - Satan wraps lies (hooks) in truth (bait), not the other way around.
Oops! It is fixed!
This is a great article. My cousin sent me the link. I see you are willing to email a copy to those requesting it. I would love to have a copy. I've got family members that would benefit from understanding how Satan works. Thank you in advance!
sent
I would like a copy also.
Sent.
Why is Jesus white in that picture?
It is a cultural depiction of Jesus. We all know He was middle eastern, but every culture depicts Him as their culture. I've seen Latino Jesus, Black Jesus, Poly Jesus, Asian Jesus, White Jesus. At the end of the day, His skin color is meaningless. He is Jesus Christ.
I know middle eastern people who can pass as white.
Thank you, I would like a copy to reference.
I would love a copy of this also.
Thank you!
Would love a copy please.
sent
You misspelled the word 'Saitn'
Please email me a copy! Loved your article! Thanks!!
Sent.
Thank you so very much for putting up the article on 4 ways to get priesthood blessings completely wrong and. They only asked for priesthood blessings when all else fails. I am so grateful to you for that it is cleared up a concern that I had about asking for a priesthood blessing and how many times you could ask for one.
Hi, I hit click HERE, so I can get a PDF copy but no copy was sent to my email despite I put my email and click download also. Can you please send me again. Thanks.
My apologies, I will need to check the link. I emailed you a copy.
Hi, I'd like to translate this to Spanish in order to present it to my branch and district, so I'm asking you permission to do so? Obviously giving the corresponding credit. Would you allow me?
Thanks in advance!
I sent you an email.
Re: Book of Abraham:
According to the Church's official page, the fragments were found at a museum in New York in 1966. The literal translation is of an Egyptian deity, not God, not Abraham. Joseph translated (interpreted) the texts via revelation. The church acknowledges all of this and is on record via Apostles and at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The church does not hide these facts. Many times in Sunday school, people will argue traditional views until the cows come home, call you an Apostate even, when the church itself has the history for all to see. For instance, the Book of Abraham was NOT translated word-for-word, symbol for symbol, pictograph by pictograph. The leaders admit that it was an interpretation by our dear prophet that gave us this canonized scripture.
Just a few examples:
March 2012 during a BBC interview Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said of the Book of Abraham and its translation:
"What got translated, got translated into the word of God. The vehicle for that, I do not understand, and don’t claim to know and (don't) know no Egyptian (language).
Church of Jesus Christ.org states:
"In 1966 eleven fragments of papyri once possessed by the Prophet Joseph Smith were discovered in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. They were given to the Church and have been analyzed by scholars who date them between about 100 B.C.and A.D. 100. A common objection to the authenticity of the book of Abraham is that the manuscripts are not old enough to have been written by Abraham, who lived almost two thousand years before Christ. Joseph Smith never claimed that the papyri were autographic (written by Abraham himself), nor that they dated from the time of Abraham. It is common to refer to an author’s works as “his” writings, whether he penned them himself, dictated them to others, or others copied his writings later.
Also on the Church's official webpage:
"Joseph’s translation was not a literal rendering of the papyri as a conventional translation would be. Rather, the physical artifacts provided an occasion for meditation, reflection, and revelation. They catalyzed a process whereby God gave to Joseph Smith a revelation about the life of Abraham, even if that revelation did not directly correlate to the characters on the papyri."
I hope that clears things up. Interpretation and speculation. Pure and simple. No secret there.
There's certainly a great deal to know about this topic. I like all of the points you've made.
Loved the article. Please send me a copy. Thanks.
I am sorry for the late reply, but it has been sent.
We have this stuff going on in our family right now.
Please send me a copy. Thanks
Sent
Wonderful insight ~ thank you
I loved this article! Thank you for including examples. I would love a copy to print. 🙂
I sent it to your email.