淺談基督教異端

淺談基督教異端

《淺談基督教異端》

黃春生牧師

在還沒有談論基督教異端之前，我們來定義幾個名詞。
「極端」：屬基督宗派，不違背四大信經所揭示的聖經「三位一體」、「基督論」與「救恩論」的核心教義原則下，而極端的主張某種觀念。
「異端」：其教義讓人誤以為是基督宗派，但違背聖經「三位一體」、「基督論」與「救恩論」的核心教義。
「異教」：或稱為「他宗教」，在其教義中不論及耶穌基督的福音。

一、異端的認定

在認定異端時，最主要的依據就是「信經」。歷代基督教會為了堅信信仰價值與核心，以及面對異端的挑戰，而在不同時期以不同的「信經」來撮要教義的核心。基本上基督教異端均違背「三位一體」、「基督論」與「救恩論」的核心教義，主要有下列十項特徵： 

1.不信上帝是獨一、自有永有、創造宇宙、掌管宇宙、無所不在、無所不能的真神。

2.不信上帝為三位一體聖父、聖子、聖靈的上帝。

3.不信耶穌基督為道成肉身，為童貞女所生。

4.不信耶穌基督為完成救贖拯救人類、被釘十字架、死了、第三天復活、四十日後升天、在上帝右邊為信者代求、將必再來、行最後審判。

5.不信聖靈及其工作。

6.不信聖經是上帝所默示的、或是在聖經裡增刪詞字、聖經以外增加其它文物。

7. 不信因信稱義、主的救恩、還主張要靠守律法、行功德、好行為、才能得救。

8. 不信基督是教會的頭、以人意設立教會首領、隨人意定教會權柄。

9. 信仰不純正、摻雜異教信仰。將他宗教的教義摻雜混為一體，這也是一種異端。

10.違背了使徒信經中的信仰告白。

使徒信經《The Apostles' Creed》是一把信仰的尺。 

各種正統的基督教派都承認使徒信經，當別人所傳講的道理和福音超出這把信仰的尺時，就是一種異端。早期大公教會為保持純正信仰教義，因此有了四大信經即《使徒信經》，《尼西亞信經》，《迦克墩信經》，《亞他拿修信經》。

使徒信經-台語漢字

我信上帝，全能的父，創造天地的主宰。我信耶穌基督，上帝的獨生子，咱的主。祂由聖神投胎，由在室女馬利亞出世；在本丟彼拉多任內受苦，釘十字架，死，埋葬落陰府；第三日由死人中復活，升天，今坐在全能的父上帝的大傍；祂要自彼再來審判活人與死人。我信聖神。我信聖，公同的教會，聖徒的相通罪的赦免；肉體的復活，永遠的活命。阿們。

使徒信經-信義宗版本-華語

我信上帝，全能的父，創造天地的主。我信耶穌基督，上帝的獨生子，我們的主；因著聖靈成孕，從童女馬利亞所生；在本丟彼拉多手下遇難，被釘在十字架上，死了，葬了；下到陰間；第三天從死裏復活；後升天，坐在無所不能的父上帝的右 邊；將來要從那裏降臨，審判活人、死人我信聖靈；一聖基督教會，聖徒相通；罪得赦免；肉身復活；並且永生。阿們。

宗徒信經-天主教版本-文言文

我信全能者天主聖父，化成天地。我信其唯一聖子、耶穌基利斯督我等主。我信其因聖神降孕，生於瑪利亞之童身。我信其受難，於般雀比拉多居官時，被釘十字架，死而乃瘞。我信其降地獄，第三日自死者中復活。我信其升天，坐於全能者天主聖父之右。我信其日後從彼而來，審判生死者。我信聖神。我信有聖而公教會，諸聖相通功。我信罪之赦。我信肉身之復活。我信常生。阿們。

宗徒信經-天主教版本-白話文

我信全能的天主父，天地萬物的創造者。

我信父的唯一子，我們的主耶穌基督，衪因聖神降孕，由童貞瑪利亞誕生；祂在比拉多執政時蒙難，被釘在十字架上，死而安葬，祂下降陰府，第三日從死者中復活；祂升了天，坐在全能天主父的右邊，祂要從天降來，審判生者死者。

我信聖神。我信聖而公教會，諸聖的相通。罪過的赦免。肉身的復活。永恆的生命。阿們。

二、古代基督宗派的異端

1.伊便尼主義

在第二世紀出現一種基督論異端，被後人稱為『伊便尼主義』(Ebionism)。此派得名於希伯來文『伊便尼』一字，意思是貧窮。該派乃出於猶太基督徒，在使徒時代就在教會中有相當的勢力，在耶路撒冷於主後70年被羅馬大軍毀滅後，仍舊在約但河東繼續發展。他們引用耶穌的話(太5:3；路4:18，7:22)，自命是耶穌及其貧苦門徒的真實信徒。這些人士反對使徒保羅的教訓，高舉雅各書，他們實行禁慾主義，嚴守舊約律法，按摩西的律法，行割禮並守安息日。

伊便尼派按舊約的教導說，上帝只有一位，因此耶穌不是上帝，不是上帝的兒子，只不過是一個特別蒙祝福的先知，如同舊約中的摩西一樣。因此祂並非由童女而生，而是像其他人一樣的受孕，出於約瑟和馬利亞。然而，因著祂具有能履行上帝律法的獨特能力，祂就被選立為上帝的兒子，因此在祂受浸時被膏為彌賽亞，被上帝賦予那靈的特別能力。祂雖然被釘死，但還要再來，以彌賽亞的身分統治世界。

我們可以說，伊便尼派是持守舊約律法的基督徒，他們將猶太教的教訓和實行，帶進新約的教會中，又因傳統猶太教狹隘的一神主義觀，否定耶穌基督乃是永遠的話成了肉身，是上帝的兒子來與人同在。他們雖然尊崇耶穌，願意照著耶穌所教導的跟隨耶穌，卻因申命記的一句話，認定耶穌應是摩西的繼承人，而將耶穌視為一偉大的先知。伊便尼主義僅顧到基督耶穌在人性這面的事實，但完全忽略祂神性方面的彰顯，的確是偏差的。

2. 亞流主義

猶太基督徒伊便尼派因為堅守『只有一位上帝』，而否認耶穌的神性，以耶穌為另一先知；嗣子論維護神格獨一性而否認耶穌的神性，以其為一討上帝喜悅而為上帝所收養為養子的人。而於四世紀初大為流行的亞流主義(Arianism)，也是以肯定上帝的獨一與超越為名，行犧牲基督神性之實。只不過亞流主義以基督為『次神』(Demigod)，換取對父上帝獨一性與超越性的肯定。此論的發起人，是第四世紀亞歷山太教會的長老亞流(Arius)。

到君士坦丁大帝在324年控制東羅馬帝國的時候，亞流爭辯已到白熱化階段，於是他立刻在尼西亞召開會議，目的是不想教義爭辯成為分裂帝國的勢力。那個會議至終失敗，亞流派的人轉到地下活動，有三十年之久；但尼西亞信經卻是成功的，它的鑰句──基督與父神是本體相同(Homoousios)的──明確地反駁亞流說父與子(或其他受造之物)有不同的本質(或本性)。 我們現有的尼西亞信經，很能反映出325年尼西亞會議的主要思想，為381年的君士坦丁堡會議接納。它肯定神的一致性，堅持基督是「在萬世之前為父所出」，是「與父一體」(Homoousios)，因此在各方面聖子就是神。尼西亞信經亦肯定聖靈是神，也是由父所出。

教父學學者凱利(J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds. London, 1972)將亞流主要論點歸納為三方面：

(1)「道」(Logos)不是在已過的永遠自存的，而是一受造物，是在時間以前由上帝所創造的。換句話說，縱然道是上帝創造一切的憑藉(God's a-gent)，但祂並非永遠的，亦非像上帝一樣的完全。

(2)亞流認為基督是受造者，是一全然完美、比一切造物都高的受造物，只是比上帝低，不是那獨一的上帝。

(3)亞流不同意當時有些教父所說，子從父所「生」(Begotten)，他主張子是從父所流出。「流出」這字將神性物質化，是不合乎上帝屬天，與物質迥異的本質。亞流堅持說，父可以沒有子而單獨存在。

3. 蘇西尼派

亞流派在主後325年的尼西亞大會被判為不合正統之異端，可是在十六世紀時死灰復燃。

Sozzini代表兩個平信徒神學家︰利里奧．蘇西尼(Lelio Sozzini, 1525-62)，和他的姪兒福斯圖斯．蘇西尼(Faustus Sozzini, 1539-1604)，他們重塑的早期基督教面貌非常具說服力，故此影響力廣泛。Lelio Sozzini遊歷過許多地方，且曾與加爾文(John Calvin)、墨蘭頓(Philip Melanchthon)、布靈爾(Johann Heinrich Bullinger)討論神學。但加爾文卻警告過他，要他提防好問問題所招致的屬靈危險。

他們二人將宗教改革期間到處出現的反三一論(Antitrinitarianism)者組織並聯合起來，形成一個龐大有影響力的運動。他們基本的觀點就是反對傳統三一論的定義，認為基督和聖靈都不是上帝，只有父是上帝。他們以人類理性為衡量聖經真理之尺度，因而誤解經文原意，認為上帝只有一位，而耶穌不是上帝，僅是一具有神奇能力的先知。基督是無罪的，其成孕與降生也都是神蹟，祂的一生順服上帝，成為世人榜樣，因此上帝在基督死後賜祂復活，並賜祂權柄代理上帝統治宇宙萬有。因此，祂具有先知、君王、祭司的職分，遠超一切，受人敬拜。

4. 虛己說(Kenoticism)

「虛己說」用來描述基督成為肉身後之神性的地位問題。這似是而非的學說，乃引用腓立比書2:7「虛己」，教導人說：基督本是上帝，但在降世為人時，將本身的神性倒空，故祂在世上只是人的出現，全無神性，在祂死而復活升天後，祂的神性才回歸原來的主人。這也是一種否認耶穌基督絕對、永遠神性的異端。

這論點在17世紀時成為德國杜賓根和吉森(Giessen)兩間神學院爭辯的焦點。一般認為是那位神─人甘願自我限制，「不以自己與神同等為強奪」這是吉森神學院的立場。

5. 諾斯底主義

智慧派(Gnosticism)或稱靈智派或知識派，其名稱來自希臘文「諾斯底」(Gnostics)，意為「知識」。此異端在第一世紀時就已盛行於地中海附近，它混合了基督使徒的教訓、異教的想法、希臘神話和星象方術。他們所盼望的「救恩」，是一位從天上之光的領域而來的救主，祂來到這邪惡、物質的世界，就把「諾斯底」，就是「祕密的知識」帶到地上，好使深陷在物質世界之人裏的上帝聖光種得以釋放。

對於智慧派而言，無論是物質的身體，或是物質的世界，都是腐敗而邪惡的，人被纏繞在物質範圍的黑暗和情慾中無法自拔。他們認為基督是偉大的，因此祂不可能有肉體的身體，因為肉體是物質的、邪惡的，「道成肉身」根本就是不可能。他們認為得救的人必定是掌握「祕密的知識」的人。

6. 幻影論

多西特派(Docetism)或稱幻影論(Phantasm)，這是一種受希臘哲學影響，從智慧派所發展出來的學說。『多西特』這個名稱，希臘字的意思就是『似乎』。『多西特』一字來自希臘文『似乎』(δοκειν, to seem)。按教會歷史的記載，這是第一個挑戰聖經所啟示之基督的異端。此學派的中心思想是：凡肉體都是物質、邪惡的，因此基督並不是上帝帶著真正人類的身體，祂只是一個幻影。

腓立比書2:7是最常被用來支持多西特派論點的經節，這一節說到基督「取了奴僕的形像」。照著多西特派的解釋，基督只是「似乎」(appeared to)死在十字架上；因此祂只是「似乎」(seemed to)成為人類。多西特派宣稱，這位聖者基督從未貶低到一個地步而有分於肉體。他們主張基督是完全神聖的，就是永遠的話，也就是上帝自己，是永遠不死的。多西特派把基督的人性，看成只是一種由屬天的救贖者所穿上的一個偽裝(disguise)。對多西特派而言，這位屬靈的基督(spiritual Christ)是在祂受浸時，進到為人的耶穌裏面，而在釘十字架之前，就已離開祂了。耶穌的幻影身驅成功的欺騙了仇敵，使撒但以為牠已經將上帝釘死。

7. 基督一性論、亞波里拿留主義

基督一性論(Monophysitism)，廣意而言就是一性主義(one-naturism)。其教義大意乃是說，基督的神性並非取了完全的人性，因此祂只有一種性情。這類說法產生的原因，是因著某些亞歷山太學派(Alexandrian School)的教父，不能接受安提阿學派(Antiochene School)所說基督裏有神人二性同時共存的說法。基督一性論源於第三世紀，經過上百年的發展後產生了兩種主要變體，較早的版本是以老底嘉(Laodicea)監督亞波里拿留(Apollinarius)為名的亞波里拿留主義(Apollinarianism)。這理論早在主後350年左右便出現，而在主後371年之後，在教父之間引起劇烈爭執。

而較晚期的版本，則是約在主後440年左右，由康士坦丁堡的修士歐迪奇(Eutyches)所提倡的基督一性論。亞氏認為基督在成肉體後只有一性(μιαφυσι)，就是「道—身」(Logos-Body)性。並且基督既是無罪的，祂必定不具有與罪人相同的人性，因此不能說基督有神人二性。而歐氏則認為基督的人性乃是調和並消失在神性裏，並產生一非人非神的第三性。這兩類一性論，都在教會歷史上被定罪為異端。

三、近代基督宗派的異端

1. 耶和華見證會(Jehovah’s Witnesses)

又稱「守望台」，該會是由美國羅素爾先生(Charles Taze Rusell)所創辦。他不滿意任何一個宗教，便自稱為「牧師」自創一個宗教。他本身行為不配稱為基督徒，生活中充滿不道德之醜聞(如與妻子打離婚官司、侵占耶和華見證會99％財產、賣神蹟麥種詐財。曾幾次預言教會、學校、政府要被消滅，但是都沒有實現，他本身曾受安息日會的影響，但是他的主張比安息日會更甚。

此會的教訓為要避免別人的攻擊，就不斷地在形式上改變。羅素爾死後由羅德福(Rutherford)繼承，1931年開始改用「耶和華見證人」一名，此宗派最喜歡向已信主信仰不堅之基督徒傳福音，其謬誤如下：

a.否認上帝是三位一體的上帝。類似早期教會歷史中亞流主義和嗣子說。認為基督是被造的；認為聖靈無位格，聖靈是神的動力。

b.否認耶穌基督的神性和救恩，耶穌只是為亞當贖了罪，只是建立了人贖罪的基礎，給人再一次機會，人可「藉善行來得救」。耶穌的死，不足以贖世界的罪惡，基督只是次神，而基督在十架上的「救贖」，意思是為人類提供一個機會，使信者可以死後再活一次，之後各人以行為賺取救恩，其行為達到耶和華標準的人，可以進入如同伊甸園般的永世中；達不到標準者，則靈魂消滅無蹤。

c.他們說耶穌1914年會再來，並且在哈米吉多頓大戰(當時他們解釋為1915年的第一次世界大戰)之後，與那些被揀選復活的十四萬四千人(忠心獻身給耶和華的人)一同進入天國一同作王。後來沒有實現他們又做了許多解釋。

d.否認聖靈的位格，說聖靈只是上帝的一種能力，不是一個生命。

e.否認人的靈性，說人只有身體沒有靈魂。

f.否認地獄的存在，認為罪的結局就是死，生命被消滅就不再存在。

g.認為千禧年時人會復活，忠於上帝的人享有第二次得救的機會。

h.認為教會是魔鬼的組織，是敵基督的、政府是魔鬼的差役。

i.生病時規定不可輸血，不少信徒生病、受傷時因此而死。

(2014.9.10 信徒拒輸血　長庚換招治療害命賠400萬)

j.傳教方式：不向未信者傳福音，反而常找基督徒家庭，以查經為藉口來引誘基督徒離開真道，他們口口聲聲引用聖經，以聖經原文為根據，卻是竄改聖經、斷章取義、隨慾引用，極少數人懂了一點點聖經，就隨意論斷聖經，遇到他們時信徒應斷然拒絕，不買他們的書，拒絕他們的訪問。

2. 摩門教(Mormons, LDS)

我們有時看見二人一組騎著腳踏車的傳教士在街上發傳單，或叩門來傳教，很多人都統稱他們為「摩門教」。但有些不一定是摩門教的，到底是哪個教派，要看看他們所傳的內容，才能肯定。

普世基督教會皆不認可「耶穌基督後期聖徒教會」為基督教派之一，而認為該教會是一種混合不同信仰(syncretism)而成的新宗教。有鑑於此，耶穌基督後期聖徒教會的洗禮不被普世基督教會所承認。

摩門教，又稱為「耶穌基督後期聖徒教會」(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints，簡稱LDS)，為什麼將其歸類為「異端」呢？

摩門教是由約瑟‧斯密(Joseph Smith)開創的。他認為當時教會已敗壞、離道反教，而摩門教就是復興的教會。約瑟‧斯密稱他在1820年，看見「天使」向他啟示「金葉片」的秘密。並藉著「烏陵」和「土明」之助，1827年把金葉片的紀錄譯成摩門經。在信仰的權威上，摩門教不接受聖經是唯一的權威，聖經以外另有信仰的權威，甚至比聖經更重要，這種說法違背了聖經所說的真理。

早期摩門教主張「多重婚姻」，早期領袖如約瑟‧斯密、楊百翰、伍惠福等人都有同時擁有超過一位以上的妻子，因此曾被美國政府取締。之後，與現實國家制度妥協，不再主張多重婚姻。

摩門教的神學也包含了亞流派的元素，甚至走到多神論(Polytheism)之極端的地步。摩門教徒教導人說，耶穌基督是以羅欣(Elohim)首生的靈孩子(first-born spirit child)，而其餘所生的靈孩子都是祂的弟弟，因此產生了許多位上帝。我們可以說，摩門教只是借用聖經中的耶穌基督，來建構其自己的宗教系統。

a.摩門教不接受聖經是唯一最高的權威，而另立其它三個經典(《摩爾門經》、《無價珍珠》、《教義和聖約》)為權威，他們就脫離了聖經而成為異端了。他們所讀的《聖經》乃是約瑟‧斯密的意譯本。

b.他們認為：亞當就是上帝，父上帝有血肉之軀，人最終也可成為上帝，好像他們常講的：「現今是人的，上帝也曾做過；現在是上帝的，很多人將來也可以作得到。」

c.摩門教說上帝結婚，耶穌不是從聖靈感孕而生的，他和人一樣同是上帝的兒女。在救恩論上，他們認為基督的救贖只贖亞當一人，至於人的罪需要靠「教會的聖禮」及「人的善行」才能獲得。

d.他們主張「三位三體」。認為耶穌不是創造宇宙萬物的那位真神，所以信了摩門教就不會信耶穌基督的福音了。如果不信福音就不是屬基督的，也不能因基督得救了。由此可見異端不單是建立一個門派，而主要是把上帝的神性和救恩推開，帶領人偏離得救的真道，以致失去救恩而滅亡，這是何等可怕。
e.高舉人的權柄如神一般，「摩門教的牧師就是神自己的一部分，違背他就是違背神。」

註：因為翻譯的問題，LDS已經將《摩門經》改譯為《摩爾門經》。「耶穌基督末世聖徒教會」改為「耶穌基督後期聖徒教會」。
註：科學家藉由DNA比對，推翻LDS所主張「美洲印地安人是希伯來人的後裔。」可連結下列網址  DNA vs. The Book of Mormon  

註：對於「耶穌基督後期聖徒教會(LDS)」的真相，可參考 Mormoninfo 網站。 

3. 基督教科學會(Christian Science)

在十九世紀末由艾迪夫人(Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy)所創的基督教科學會，其宗旨無關基督徒信仰的追求，而是探討神醫的可能。嚴格來說，基督教科學會根本不是基督教。因此，此派也沒有甚麼縝密的基督論，只是利用聖經支持艾迪夫人自己的神醫理論。她使用了特別的術語—智慧(gnosis)，他們把這個智慧視為是超越聖經的，這是靈智派(Gnosticism)的再現。他們拒絕接受基督永遠二性的思想，他們教導人說，祂的雙重身位(dual personality)只持續到祂升天之前，當為人的耶穌消失後，基督就開始存在，這也反映出基督一性論的觀點。

4. 惟有耶穌論

惟有耶穌論(Jesus Only)是獨一神格靈恩派(Oneness Pentecostalism)神學的分支。惟有耶穌論教導說，基督的兒子名分不是永遠的，只是帶著特定之開始並結束的暫時角色。照著這種神學，基督的兒子名分，是開始於成肉體時伯利恆的馬槽。對於那些持守這些觀點的人而言，「生」(begotten)這個字含示了一種開始(beginning)，因而這是一種『有限的元素』。『惟有耶穌』神學的擁護者相信，「道」(Logos)是永遠的，但「子」(Son)這個稱呼表示一種當祂啟示在人性裏時所存在的一種暫時狀態，這與亞流主義和形態論極為類似。

5. 統一教

統一教的來源：統一教乃由韓國人文鮮明創設，文鮮明原名文龍明，曾一度取日本名為江本龍明。文鮮明自命為「再臨的基督」。文鮮明的神學思想受「以色列修道院(韓國)」創設人金百人之影響。統一教的「原理講論」大部分竊取自金百人所著「聖靈神學」。而金百人的思想受北韓李龍道與黃國栓所影響，他倆曾設教會，廣傳異端，後被稱為「混淫派」，其邪說認為夏娃婚前與蛇通姦，其血混入蛇內，是可咒詛的罪惡之血，而夏娃與亞當行房後，就將此罪惡之血傳給亞當，續而世代相傳，結果需藉宗教性的行為，領受擁有聖靈者純正的血，取代污穢的血，如此才能得救。文鮮明將這種錯誤的思想應用於統一教。

統一教的教規相當苛嚴。求道者必須修《統一原理》的課程，聽講後再參加約兩、三星期的「修練會」，然後參加七天的禁食。以後再參加為期四十天的開拓傳道。身不帶分文，靠賣花、人參茶、蜂蜜、原子筆，或行起維持四十天的生活。

開拓傳道完畢後，要經常參加「修練會」，參加「統一原理」式訓練，要帶三個人以上加入統一教(稱靈子)，才合格作「獻身者」。「獻身者」才有資格進入內圈，分享統一教對外不公開的秘密；作文鮮明的子女；有資格蒙受祝福(祝福即接受婚配)。「獻身者」要搬進統一教的會所，並將月薪全部財產捐獻統一教，若無收入者，也得設法交「蕩減金」。「蕩減」意指墮落的人通過某些補償，使他得以歸屬上帝，而滿足這條件就叫做「蕩減」。

需文鮮明配婚，還須過三年以上教會生活，要對統一教有貢獻，並忠誠才行。當事人可提出五個名單為配婚對象，然後由文氏決定其一。此配婚稱「成約結婚」。統一教規定，配婚的新夫婦第二天即分手四處傳道，甚至越洋工作。統一教的組織全球以文鮮明為首，各國組織大同小異。

a.統一教是掛基督之名，卻違背聖經教義之實。他們聚會時雖頗似基督教的儀式，但除了禮拜禱告外，文氏尚指定統一教五大節日，信徒必須供奉水果、祭品、蠟燭，排在文鮮明夫婦相片前，然後全體向其跪拜三次，文氏自稱為「宇宙真父」，其妻為「宇宙真母」，將人「神化」實在違背聖經的教訓。

b.統一教對基督的認識有極大的偏差。他們不承認耶穌是創造的主宰，同時也不承認耶穌就是上帝。

c.統一教的救贖論也有極大的偏差，不合聖經教導。

統一教把生命樹解釋成亞當，把善惡樹解成夏娃，把夏娃「吃禁果」解釋成墮落天使與夏娃「性行為」。他們認為天使與夏娃「合性一體化」，就互相接受對方的原素，而這要素就是「原罪」，後由夏娃傳給亞當；於是，統一教的「換血得救論」就應運而生，完全歪曲聖經，違背聖經。

d.統一教完全漠視聖經無誤論，與聖經的權威，反而以統一原理為中心，在解經學方面完全斷章取義，按私意解釋，違背譯經學的原理。

e.統一教殘害青年身心甚巨；破壞家庭倫理至深。統一教以其至高權威又似是而非的教理向單純的青年洗腦，以致造成退學、離家出走、反對父母、視凡不屬統一教者為仇敵，造成家庭分裂；青年反而自甘作其「靈子」，不顧一切效忠統一教。

f.統一教攝取易經陰陽之說，以及部份希臘哲學思想及一些片斷不齊的科學倫理，並大膽地曲解聖經，編造一套自圓其說的統一教原理，即非真科學，亦非真哲學，更非真基督教，真是「四不像」。

2014.1.22補充：

台灣基督長老教會(PCT)總會在1995年針對異端統一教發表對「世界基督教統一神靈協會」之聲明，但歷經19年(2014)，統一教化妝成各種協會、機構，還是令人困難察覺。因為它很會偽裝，所以比起「東方閃電(全能神教會、新歌教會)」更不易被基督徒察覺。

統一教的附屬機構: 環宇國際文化教育基金會、中華民國世界和平教授學會、世界和平婦女會台灣總會、中華青少年純潔運動協會，中華世界和平超宗派超國家協會、香港世界和平統一家庭聯合會，及以單一事件成立的「臺灣守護家庭聯盟(護家盟)」。

中華青少年純潔運動協會的零錢奉獻箱，在許多超商、早餐店都可以看到。

6. 其他異端

哭重生派：始於1968年，當時也適逢靈恩運動的火熱期。河南徐永澤及徐永玲二兄妹所創立。他們強調一個真正重生的人必定要哭三日三夜，理由是他們相信約拿在大魚腹中三日三夜一定曾痛哭；掃羅在大馬士革路上遇見主耶穌後「三日三夜不能看見，也不吃，也不喝」，他肯定是在哭；甚至主耶穌死後在墳墓裡三日三夜也是在哭。因此他們聚會要哭、唱詩要哭，一直哭到聽見聲音、看見異像才算得救。

靈靈教：始於1986年，一開始都在地上畫十字，大家圍著唱歌跳舞。其教主原為江蘇一小學教師，名「華雪和」，因他的名字中有兩個字與神的名字「耶和華」一致，所以就自稱是神的第二個兒子，就是「耶穌第二」、「華救主」。後來改名「華水河」，「華」字代表他就是耶和華，「水」字代表他能使人潔淨；「河」字代表他就是活水的江河。

東方閃電(全能神教會)：始於1989年呼喊派趙維山鎖分裂出來的。趙維山任命「七靈」，其中河南鄭州鄧姓女子就是其中之一又稱為「全能神」，她自稱是東方的基督，最後及最大的基督，她根據馬太福音24:27「因為人子來臨的時候會像閃電一樣，一剎那間，從東到西橫掃天空。」她主張先前的基督是西方人，而末後的基督是東方人；先前基督是男性，而末後的基督是女性，這樣才是公平。

四、基督宗派的極端

1.第二次梵蒂岡大公會議以前的羅馬天主教(Roman Catholicism)

耶穌基督教會，從耶路撒冷傳到羅馬後成為羅馬帝國之國教，教義上多所人為衍生，經歷1054年大分裂(schism)、1378-1417年大分裂(Schisme)、1517-1648年宗教改革(Protestant Reformation)的分裂。直到1962.10.11-1965.9.14第二次梵蒂岡大公會議(Concilium Œcumenicum Vaticanum Secundum)天主教會內部才有實質的改革。
第二次梵蒂岡大公會議以前，羅馬天主教的極端教義如下：
a.他們認為聖經不足以使人明白真理而得救。

b.教會的元首是教皇，他代表上帝─在信仰上是無謬的，順服教皇是信徒得救不可少的途徑。

c.聖母馬利亞無罪論。

d.他們認為罪有分兩種：一種是該死的罪；另外一種是可饒恕的罪。

e.他們認為人的得救只靠信心是不夠的，還要靠善行和積功德。

f.他們相信煉獄謬論：認為多數基督徒死後仍然要在煉獄受苦，但是可藉著活人為他們作彌撒、禱告和贖罪，可向教會買贖罪券，以教會功德庫剩遺之功德來減輕受苦時間，以利早日上天堂。

(以上是指中古時代之羅馬天主教。自從第二次梵蒂岡大公會議之後，天主教內部已進行宗教改革。)

2. 安息日會(Seventh Day Adventist)

全名為「基督復臨安息日會」，創辦人威廉米勒，原為浸信會會友，1883及84年兩次預言基督復臨失敗後隱退。後其跟隨者懷特夫婦接替提出新的理論，雖曾遭創辦人威廉米勒之反對，懷特夫人仍宣稱她看到天上聖所、約櫃和十誡，後來被稱為女先知。此教派為其創辦人自創自立信仰含糊且常有更改，其謬誤介紹如下：

a.關於耶穌再來

他們勉強引用多次聖經來斷言基督再臨時日且都失敗了，但是仍然強解聖經自圓其說。

b.關於守安息日

懷特夫人宣稱守每週的第七日(安息日)是上帝的規定有益於得救，守每週七日的第一日(主日)是獸的印記即會永遠受刑罰的記號。

哥林多後書3:6「他使我們有才幹作新約的僕人；這約不是字面上的法律，而是聖靈的約。字面上的法律帶來死亡，但是聖靈賜生命。」

事實上哪一天才是真正的安息日呢？以色列的禮拜六正好是美國的禮拜五，美國的安息日剛好是台灣的主日，每一個國家的時日都不大一樣，要如何訂出一個相同時間的安息日呢？每一個國家的週休不一樣也會影響到敬拜的時間。主耶穌也曾經好幾次被法利賽人(律法師)定罪為違反安息日的人，因為他的學生在安息日捻麥穗吃，祂也在安息日醫病。面對定罪，耶穌在馬可福音2:27-28對法利賽人說：「安息日是為人而設的；人不是為安息日而生的。所以，人子也是安息日的主。」因此，安息日的重點在其精意，不在字句，精意乃是要人們能夠得救，能夠真正得益處，禮拜天(主復活之日)使人方便作禮拜，也附合主耶穌所說的『人子也是安息日的主』，守主日及安息日，最重要的精神乃在於是否能盡心盡力用靈用誠實到上帝面前敬拜和事奉。

通過以上的整理，我們可以更加認識基督教的異端、極端，或以使徒信經為尺來衡量，這是了幫助我們避免受迷惑和引誘，保有基督純正的信仰。

註：摩爾門教(LDS)與基督教的差異
Differences Between Mormonism and Christianity (by MormonInfo)

	MORMONISM	CHRISTIANITY
WHAT IS THE CHURCH?	The LDS Church is the only true church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church (Doctrine and Covenants [D&C] 1:30); all other churches (Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists are specifically mentioned in Joseph Smith, History 1:9, Pearl of Great Price) are "wrong," "all their creeds were an abomination," and "those professors were all corrupt" (Joseph Smith, History 1:19). Those of creedal or traditional Christianity have adopted "pagan beliefs" and are part of "false Christianity" (Gospel Principles, 100 [1979 edition]). One either belongs to "the church of the Lamb of God" or to "the church of the devil" (1 Nephi 14:10). Joseph Smith taught that everybody but faithful Mormons will be damned (History of the Church 3:28). "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is absolutely indispensable to our salvation. No supposed personal relationship with Jesus, no commitment to the gospel, no high level of Christian conduct in society can compensate for what is to be found in the Church" (Robert Millet, Alive in Christ: The Miracle of Spiritual Rebirth [Salt Lake City: Deseret, 1997], 140).	The Church is a body of various believers and groups of believers. The one true Church is the invisible, spiritual, and universal Body of Christ in heaven and on earth made up of all those true believers from various local denominations or visible churches. The body is an organism, not an external organization. Unity in this body does not demand complete uniformity in its various manifestations. God loves diversity. Yet the Church's unity is in Christ, who is the vine. People in various denominations who are committed to the Vine are the branches; no one particular manifestation of the Church is the vine (Matthew 16:18; 15:5; Acts 15:35-41;20:28; 1 Corinthians 11:19; 12:13ff.; andEphesians 4:1-13).
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH?	Individuals go to more places than either with Christ or with the devil and his angels. Depending on how good non-LDS members are in this life and the next determines their place in one of two lower heavenly kingdoms or "degrees of glory"--the telestial andterrestrial kingdoms--both of which are still outside the presence of God in His celestialkingdom (D&C 76). Both of these lower kingdoms are an eternal damnation of sorts, since there is no progression among all the kingdoms throughout eternity (Apostle Bruce McConkie, The Seven Deadly Heresies, Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 50, and Joseph Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation 2:31). The worst eternal damnation is a separate place called "outer darkness" where only apostates reside with the Devil and his angels. The Book of Mormon teaches that if an individual doesn't repent in "this life," then one is sealed to the devil and "this is the final state of the wicked" (Alma 34:32-5). For LDS, this passage typically means that individuals who willfully deny Christ and His Church after given an opportunity to be a part of it end up forever excluded from the presence of God in His kingdom. McConkie said that only those who never had the opportunity in this life to be part of God's celestial kingdom, and who would have received it, are the ones who will have that opportunity in the next life (The Seven Deadly Heresies, cf. D&C 137:7-8). Nonetheless, all children who die before the age of accountability go to the celestial kingdom (D&C 137:10). Prior to the final judgment, all individuals go to one of two places: paradise or spirit prison. LDS go to the former and non-LDS go to the latter. LDS will go and preach to those in spirit prison (Alma 40:12-4 and D&C 138:30). Within the celestial kingdom, there are also three degrees of glory. The highest is reserved for those who are sealed in marriage for time and all eternity (D&C 131:1-4). McConkie was also clear that simply having this celestial marriage is no guarantee of exaltation (The Seven Deadly Heresies). Finally, there are angels who worship before the throne of God, who never received a celestial marriage and are thus single (D&C 76:21 and 132:15-17).	Individuals go to be either with Christ or with the devil and his angels. Those who are part of the body of Christ should know they have eternal life (1 John 5:10-13). They are in Christ's and the Father's hand, and no one can pluck them out of it (Jn. 10:27-30). Christ went to prepare a place for them in His Father's house, but until then the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit take up residency in their lives (Jn. 14:1-3, 23-6). For believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6; andPhilippians 1:21-5). The Bible is clear that paradise is the third heaven--the dwelling of God (2 Cor. 12:1-4). The first heaven is the earthly atmosphere (Acts 14:17) and the second heaven is outer space (Jeremiah 8:2). At the judgment, there are those who go with the devil and his angels, and there are those who go to life eternal (Mat. 25:31-46).
WHAT IS DIVINE SALVATION?	Divine salvation is unconditional for resurrection and conditional for eternal life. In one sense, salvation is universal immortality and resurrection by grace alone, and is given to everyone except apostates. In another sense, salvation is eternal life or exaltation into the highest kingdom. The latter is dependent on grace through faith and one's works (2 Ne. 25:23; D&C 76:40-4; and Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 669-71, and 746).	Divine salvation is always conditional. Divine salvation is always from sin and its consequence of separation from God. This salvation is always conditioned upon faith. Until this occurs, God considers the individual dead. When this salvation occurs, one has eternal life (Jn. 5:24; Romans 5; Eph. 2:1-10; and 1 Jn. 5:10-3).
WHERE IS THE CROSS?	The symbol of the cross is absent. Since the Savior lives, LDS focus on his life rather than his death. Though He suffered for our sins on the cross, the greater pain was in the Garden of Gethsemane where the atonement was initiated. The emblem of the cross is not to be revered, and its display is "very strange" (Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Symbol of Our Faith," Ensign, Apr 2005, 2-6;McConkie, "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane," Ensign [May 1985], 9; Mormon Doctrine, 172 and 555; The Promised Messiah, 337 and 552; The Mortal Messiah, 127-128; Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:15-8; "Cross" and "Atonement of Christ," LDS.org).	The symbol of the cross is central. Simply because Jesus lives forever more is no reason to minimize the means by which He paid for our sins. The Bible never teaches that the atonement began in the garden. Rather, it teaches that the atonement happened on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). The cross is foolishness to the perishing, but the power of God to them being saved (1 Cor. 1:18). There is nothing else that deserves boasting except the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14). The cross symbolizes a way His followers are to live (Luke 9:23). Even the first century Christians used the symbol of the cross as archeology has revealed.
DID CHRIST DIE FOR ALL SINS?	Christ did not die for all sins. Christ did not atone for the murderer, since there is no forgiveness for him "in this world, nor in the world to come." Christ also did not pay for more than a one-time offense of adultery, since such violators cannot be forgiven either (D&C 42:18 and 25-9). Actually, according to one apostle, Christ atoned simply for Adam's sin, and left "us responsible only for our own sins." This apostle goes on to quote the 2nd Article of Faith that claims "men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression" (Le Grand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder [1976], 98). Other LDS prophets have taught that there are certain "sins" that one may commit that are beyond the atonement of the Son of God, and one's own blood must be shed in such cases (Brigham Young, The Journal of Discourses3:247; 4:53-4; 4:219-220; and Fielding Smith,Doctrines of Salvation 1:133-6).	Christ did die for all sins. Christ atoned for all sins (Adam's as well as everyone else's). The Lord Jesus took the punishment of everyone on the cross. The debt we could never pay has been completely paid by the Lamb of God, and to those who receive this gift, they are declared "justified" or "not guilty." This is the good news (the gospel) for everyone, including the adulterer and the murderer (2 Samuel 12:13; Isaiah 53:3-12; Mt. 18:21-2; Rom. 3:24; 4:5; 5:1-2;1 Cor. 6:9-11; 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:14-21; 1 Pt. 2:24; and 1 Jn. 1:8-2:2).
WHAT ROLE DO GOOD WORKS PLAY WITH OUR STANDING BEFORE GOD?	Good works are meritorious for right standing before God. Good works are a necessary requirement of salvation and right standing before God (1 Ne. 3:7; 2 Ne. 25:23; Alma 5:27-8; 11:37; 34:33-5; Moroni 10:32; D&C 1:24-33; 25:15-6;42:18-29; 58:34-43; 82:5-7; 3rd Article of Faith; Gospel Principles, 74-8 [1997 edition]; and 122-7).	Good works are not meritorious for right standing before God. Salvation is a free gift that must be received through faith, not of works, since no one is good enough to earn it from an all-holy Judge. If this is genuine faith, then it is automatically demonstrated by the overall good life produced by it (Ibid.; Rom. 3:23-28;4:5; 11:6; Gal. 3:11, 23-6, and 5:6; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Jn. 5:10-3; and James 2:14-26, NAS).
BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD?	Baptism for the dead is required. Baptism in place of the dead is an essential ordinance done in LDS temples on behalf of those who died not receiving the benefit of LDS baptism (Gospel Principles, 255-62 [1997 edition]). Joseph Smith said, "The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead" (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 356 [pre-2002 edition]).	Baptism for the dead is not required. The only biblical passage that mentions baptism for the dead was most likely done by those outside of Christianity, since the Apostle Paul made a contrast between what "they" do and what "we" do. Paul said that even those who do baptism for the dead believe in the resurrection. How much more should we, who do not baptize for the dead and are led by apostles who were eyewitnesses of Christ's resurrection, believe in the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:29-30). Even if some of the Corinthians were performing baptisms for the dead, there is no reason to think the practice was understood to be a means of salvation. Further, even though baptism is normal and a believer should be baptized, it is not essential for salvation (e.g., Acts 10:44-8). Finally, there is no second chance for salvation to those who reject it in this life (Lk. 16:19-31; andHebrews 9:27).
ARE THERE OTHER GODS?	There are many Gods for other worlds, and each God is equal to the God of this world in terms of His nature. There are many gods who create and rule over other worlds, and on those worlds, worship excludes the God of our world. So there is only one God for us, and this God is typically referred to as the Heavenly Father. Mormons may also speak of the term "God" in reference to "the Godhead," which is a team of separate Gods (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 576-7; Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 346-7 [pre-2002 edition]; Abraham 4:1, Pearl of Great Price;Gospel Principles, 245 [1997 edition], and302; "God," LDS Bible Dictionary; and Blake Ostler, "Review of The Mormon Concept of God: A Philosophical Analysis by Francis J. Beckwith and Stephen E. Parrish," FARMS Review of Books [Provo, UT: FARMS, 1996], 99-146).	There is only one God for all worlds. There is only one God who created and rules over everything in existence. LDS simply devalue and weaken God when they think that He did not create something like some other world (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:39;Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 96:5; Isa. 40:12-26;43:10; 44:6, 8, and 24; Jn. 1:1-3; and 17:3).
THE TRINITY?	The Trinity means three separate Gods, who are one in their nature and become one in purpose. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate gods, who are one in purpose and nature, but not in a being they share eternally (Ibid; Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 372 [pre-2002 edition]). There was a time when the person of the Father (Elohim) was without the person of the Son (Jehovah) as His Son. Thus, there was a time in which Elohim was not the Father.	The Trinity means three inseparable Persons, who are eternally God in purpose, nature, and being. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct or different persons, who are eternally and inseparably one in purpose, nature, and being (Ibid.; Isa. 48:12-7; Mt. 3:16; 4:10; and28:16-20). So the Father is not the same person as the Son, and the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as the Father, but nonetheless, each Person eternally makes up the only Being of God there is.
ARE HUMANS AND GOD THE SAME NATURE OR SPECIES?	Humans and God are of the same nature or species. The nature of these gods is identical to the nature of man, and as such these humans had to become gods; they haven't always been gods (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 345 [pre-2002 edition]; Thomas C. Romney, The Life of Lorenzo Snow, 46; D&C 76:23-4; and Abraham 3:18-28).	Humans and God are not of the same nature or species. God has His own unique nature that man, a created being by definition and not the originator of literally everything else, cannot ever have. God is God by nature, and not by obtainment (Ps. 90:2; Ezekiel 28:2 and 9;Hosea 11:9; Acts 14:15; Gal. 4:8; and 2 Pt. 1:3-4).
DOES GOD IN HIS NATURE HAVE FLESH AND BONES?	God is an exalted man with flesh and bones. God the Father and Jesus Christ have tangible bodies of flesh and bones, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. Personages of spirit are still material with a certain form or shape, but they are not as tangible as the bodies of those who are sent to a mortal planet (Ibid.;D&C 130:22; 131:7-8; and "Spirit" in the LDS Bible Dictionary).	God is not an exalted man with flesh and bones. Since He is the Creator of all things outside of Himself (e.g., the entire material universe), God is not limited to a body. He created matter, and does not need a body or anything else to operate anywhere in all of creation. He is all powerful, and as such, He can take any type of form or nature to show up any way He wants to (1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:24; Luke 3:22; and Jn. 4:21-4).
CAN HUMANS BECOME GODS FOR OTHER WORLDS AS GOD IS GOD FOR THIS WORLD?	Humans may become Gods for other worlds as God is God for this world. Worthy Mormons may become gods to create, rule over and receive worship from their own worlds some day. They will do this exclusively as the god or the team of gods for that world or that set of worlds (like the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are for this world or this set of worlds), and thus the God of this world will not perform those functions there (Ibid; D&C 76:50-8 and 95, 132:15-23, 29, and 37; andGospel Principles, 302 [1997 edition]).	Humans cannot become Gods for other worlds as God is God for all worlds. When all believers become what some Christians such as C. S. Lewis call "gods" in heaven (although the Bible never uses this language of glorified individuals), they are still dependent and human "gods," and not God by nature, who alone is eternally the Author and Sustainer of literally all that is outside Himself. He is the only God in this fundamental sense of the term (Ibid.; and Lewis, Mere Christianity [N.Y.: Macmillan, 1952], vi, 160, 172).
WAS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD ONCE A MAN WHO BECAME GOD?	The God of this world was once a man who became God. God is an exalted man, who needed to do certain things in order to become God for this world (Ibid.; and James Talmage, Articles of Faith, 430).	The God of this world is the God for all worlds, so He never was a man who had to become God. God has always been God, and thus is not so needy (Ibid.).
DOES THE FATHER HAVE A FATHER?	The Heavenly Father has a Heavenly Father before Him. God the Father has a Father whom He followed as Jesus had followed His Father in order to become a god (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 373 [pre-2002 edition]).	There was no Heavenly Father before the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There is no other God before God. He is not so weak that He needed to serve and receive counsel from some other God in order to become God; He always was God (Ps. 90:2; Isa. 40:12-26; 43:10; and Rom. 11:33-6).
DOES GOD NEED A WIFE TO BECOME GOD?	God needs a wife to become God. God the Father has at least one wife that He needed in order to become exalted to Godhood, and by at least one wife we on this world were all literally born as spirit children prior to taking on our tangible bodies of flesh and bones via our mortal parents (McConkie,Mormon Doctrine, 516-7; Young, The Journal of Discourses 1:50; Gospel Principles, 15 [1997 edition]; and the popular hymn "O My Father").	God does not need a wife to become God. Since God is not a man by nature it is impossible for Him as the eternal God to even enter into a human marital relationship that He would need to become God and sexually produce us. It is just as impossible for God to lie. He does not need anything, let alone a wife, to become God. If it were even possible for the Father to strive to exaltation, then we would expect God's courtship and marriage to be a perfect one in which He received counsel from the other partner(s). But what kind of God would this be? As the All Perfect Being by nature, it is also impossible for God to receive any counsel (Ibid; 1 Kings 8:27; and Heb. 6:18).
DID HUMANS EXIST PRIOR TO THIS EARTHLY LIFE?	Humans existed prior to this earthly life. Humans were all born to heavenly parents in the celestial kingdom prior to this earthly life (Abraham 3:22–26).	Humans did not exist prior to this earthly life. With the exception of Jesus, humans are not from heaven or from above, but from the earth or below, and have never seen the Heavenly Father (Jn. 3:31-2; 6:38-46; and 8:23).
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE FATHER DID NOT CREATE?	There are things that the Father did not create. Thus God the Father did not create the planet that His Father had already created. No God for any world created all worlds. No God for any world created intelligence, matter, or the laws that govern them. These are eternal. Any person, including a God for any world, eternally existed as intelligence, and not as God (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 373 [pre-2002 edition];D&C 93:29-35; 131:7-8; and Abraham 3:18-28).	There is nothing that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit did not create. There is only one Being who created and rules over everything in existence. LDS simply devalue and weaken God when they think that He did not create something like some other world (Gen. 1:1; Deut. 4:39; Isa. 40:12-26;43:10; 44:6, 8, and 24; Jn. 1:1-3; Acts 17:24-8; and 1 Cor. 8:6).
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE SON DID NOT CREATE?	There are things that the Son did not create. Jesus being the literal son of exalted human gods obviously did not create all things either. For example, He did not create the planet He was born on as a spirit child (Ibid.; Gospel Principles, 17-20 [1997 edition]; and 27-9).	There is nothing that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit did not create. Prior to becoming man, Jesus existed as "the only begotten God" (Jn. 1:18, New American Standard [NAS] and in the best Greek manuscripts). As such, He created everything that was ever created from the very beginning (Jn. 1:1-3, 14 and 1 Cor. 8:6). When LDS relativize His creation to only concerning the things of this world or this set of worlds--i.e., not literally all worlds, this devalues and cheapens Jesus, who has not only the nature of man (1 Timothy 2:5), but also the nature of "God over all blessed forever" (Rom. 9:5, emphasis added).
ARE JESUS AND LUCIFER SPIRIT-BROTHERS?	Jesus and Lucifer are spirit-brothers. Jesus was the first one born of heavenly parents, and Lucifer was a younger sibling. Jesus is referred to as Lucifer's, as well as our, elder brother in the pre-earth life (Ibid.; Milton R. Hunter, The Gospel through the Ages, 15;Abraham 3:22-8 with Moses 4:1-4).	Jesus created Lucifer. For LDS to think that Christ is simply our and Lucifer's elder brother in some supposed pre-earth life is blasphemous devaluing of Christ's divine nature. Christ may rightly be referred to as a brother in our humanity, but in addition to that, He is our Creator... and not simply of our bodies (Ibid.; Colossians 1:13-8; Heb. 1:2 and 6-14; and 2:6-18).
HAS JESUS ALWAYS BEEN GOD?	Jesus has not always been God. Jesus, like all other gods before Him, had to become a God. He is the literal Son of God like we are children of God, but He's without sin (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 346-7 [pre-2002 edition]).	Jesus has always been God. Jesus has always been the only God there is along with the Father and Holy Ghost (Ibid;Isa. 43:10; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 1:1-3 and 14; and8:56-9).
SHOULD THE SON RECEIVE THE SAME WORSHIP AS THE FATHER?	The Son should not receive the same worship as the Father. Jesus is not worshipped equally with the Father, since Jesus is not our begetter. Jesus is not even directly prayed to. Prayer is directed only to the Father in the name of Jesus (Gospel Principles, 41 [1997 edition]; McConkie, BYU Devotional [March 2, 1982], 17, 19, and 20).	The Son should receive the same worship as the Father. Since Jesus is God by nature, He is worshipped equally with the Father. Jesus receives both worship and prayer, and we are commanded to do so (Mt. 4:10; 28:16-20; Jn. 5:18-23; 14:14, NAS and in the best Greek manuscripts; Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 1:2; and 1 Jn. 5:13-5).
WAS JESUS BORN OF A VIRGIN?	Jesus may not have been born of a virgin. Even though Mormons are usually quick to say they don't know how the conception of Jesus took place and allow for the possibility of something like artificial insemination, they all claim that Jesus had the Heavenly Father and Mary as parents. Mormon general authorities on the other hand have claimed that the conception of Jesus was perfectly natural despite the Book of Mormon teaching that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was born (1 Ne. 11:18-21; Alma 7:10; The Complete Discourses of Brigham Young 1:321; Young,The Journal of Discourses 1:50-1; 8:115; Heber C. Kimball, 211; Orson Pratt, The Seer, 158-9; Family Home Evening Manual [1972], 126; and McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 546-7, and 742-3).	Jesus was born of a virgin. Just because Jesus was eternally the Son of the Father does not entail that Jesus was not the Son of the Holy Ghost when He was born of Mary. The act of conception was of the Holy Ghost, and not of a man. Mary was with child and still a virgin (Mt. 1:18-25; and Lk. 1:26-35).
WHO IS THE HOLY GHOST?	The Holy Ghost is a man and son of God. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Holy Ghost is a spirit man, a spirit son of God the Father. It is fundamental Church doctrine that God is the Father of the spirits of all men and women, that Jesus is literally God's Son both in the spirit and in the flesh, and that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit separate and distinct from both the Father and the Son. The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Eternal Godhead, and is identified also as the Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, and the comforter" (Encyclopedia of Mormonism2:649; cf. D&C 130:22-3; "Holy Ghost" in theLDS Bible Dictionary). The gift of the Holy Ghost is only given to those who have been baptized and are confirmed by the laying on of hands (Gospel Principles, 132 [1979 edition]).	The Holy Ghost is God by nature. Since the Holy Ghost is the inseparable third person of the only Being of God there is, He is not a man by nature that became exalted into a separate god for a Godhead team (2 Samuel 23:2-3; Mt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; and 13:2). Gentiles clearly received the gift of the Holy Ghost prior to being baptized. They simply believed and spoke in tongues without the laying on of hands (Acts 10:44-8).
RACISM?	God curses certain individuals with dark skin. The races are determined by how worthy individuals were prior to this mortal life. Blacks were not as faithful in their first estate (Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:61-7; McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 527-8; 1st Presidency Statement, August 17, 1949). The Book of Mormon teaches white superiority. Here God cursed certain Israelite American Indians with dark skin, and this was meant to keep them from interbreeding with their white brethren. This scripture also teaches that God blessed some who repented with white skin (Alma 3:6-9; 1 Ne. 12:23; 2 Ne. 5:21-4; Jacob 3:8; and 3 Ne. 2:14-6). The Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price teaches that the curse of Cain was a seed of blackness. This seed was excluded from Zion, the future abode of God (Moses 7:8, 21 and 22). Nothing concerning the LDS "revelation" in 1978 to give "all worthy males members" the priesthood invalidates these beliefs.	God does not curse anyone with dark skin. God blesses humanity with different colors of skin, and no skin color is more favorable to Him than another. Race is not the real issue anyway, for we are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:28). "God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:34-5). Since this is true, there was no good reason to exclude blacks from holding the priesthood until 1978. The mark of Cain was not a curse, but a blessing. It was for his good to protect him from anyone who wanted to kill him. Nothing is said about this mark being passed onto his descendants, nothing is said about it being a color of skin, and nothing is said about it barring him or his seed from Zion, the future abode of God (Gen. 4:15). Finally, dark skin is never changed into white upon repentance (Jer. 13:23).
POLYGAMY?	God approves of polygamy in the Old and New Testaments, but has temporarily suspended the practice. Holy men were allowed to practice plural marriage in times past only upon the Lord's command (Fielding Smith, The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 346-7 [pre-2002 edition]; and Jacob 2:27-30). These who kept this command, as well as other commands, became gods in the celestial kingdom (D&C 132). Brigham Young taught that the only ones who became gods are those who enter into polygamy (The Journal of Discourses 11:269). The early leaders of the LDS Church were all polyamists. Joseph Smith had 34 wives, 11 of whom were currently married to living husbands at the time he took them as wives (WivesOfJosephSmith.org; andFamilySearch.org). Even though the Salt Lake City based Mormon Church suspended the practice in 1890, the late General Authority Bruce McConkie said it would obviously "commence again after the Second Coming of the Son of Man" (Mormon Doctrine, 578). However, temple-worthy LDS widowers may still practice plural marriage today by getting sealed for "time and all eternity" to another temple-worthy woman who is not sealed to another. So it's still practiced today with only 1 living wife (e.g., LDS Apostles Russell M. Nelson, Dallin Oaks, and L. Tom Perry).	God always disapproves of polygamy even when He allowed it. Simply because something is the case doesn't entail that it ought to be the case. So just because individuals were polygamists in the Bible doesn't entail that they should have been. People murdered in the Bible, but that doesn't justify murder. The ideal of the one-flesh unit was given from creation (Gen. 2:24), and there are various indications in the Old Testament against polygamy. Nonetheless, God may have at times accomodated Himself to a temporary, fallen Near Eastern social structure (Paul Copan, Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God [Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011], 58-62, and 110-7). Similar to Jesus' teaching on divorce, it was given due to the hardness of their hearts (Mat. 19:8). Regardless of justifying the Old Testament practice, the New Testament is clear that the church leaders, who we are called to emulate, are to be husbands of one wife (1 Tim. 3:2, 12; and Titus 1:5-6). We are still in the New Testament, and thus, there is no excuse for Mormon Church leaders entering into polygamy. Finally, Jesus taught that we won't be married in the afterlife anyway, but will be like the angels (Mat. 22:23-30).
THE PRIESTHOOD?	The Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods are offered to worthy male members. There are two forms of the priesthood: the Aaronic (the lesser one) and the Melchizedek (the greater one). Without the authority of the priesthood no man can see God and live. It is available for all worthy male members of at least a certain age, who desire to act legally in the name of the Lord. This was extended to those males with black ancestry in 1978 (D&C, Official Declaration--2; 84:6ff.; and Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 3:80).	The Aaronic priesthood was done away at the cross and the Melchizedek priesthood is unique to Christ. The Aaronic priesthood was done away at the crucifixion of Christ, since He has become our permanent high priest. There is no more need for Levitical priests to offer imperfect sacrifices on behalf of the people in the temple. Jesus alone is worthy to hold the Melchizedek priesthood. Any believer today who has been called out of darkness into the light, regardless of age, race, or sex, is a member of the holy and royal priesthood. The believer operates in the highest authority that is offered today, viz., that of being a child of the Lord Omnipotent. Christians have the true priesthood, since they have the true God who gives it to them (Jn. 1:12; Gal. 3:26-9; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:14; 5:9-10; 7:11-8:2; 9:24; 1 Pt. 2:5 and 9; and Rev. 1:6; 20:6).
THE BIBLE?	The Bible is unreliable and incomplete for faith. The Bible is the word of God only as it is translated correctly (8th Article of Faith). Evidently, it was not translated very well since Joseph Smith's translation (JST) is quite a bit different from all other versions (also cf. 1 Nephi 13:23-42 where the Bible is corrupted after the founding 12 apostles). Nonetheless, LDS use the King James Version. LDS also have three other books of Scripture--the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The Book of Mormon calls those "fools" who claim they have a Bible and "need no more Bible" (2 Nephi 29:3-14). Joseph Smith taught that only LDS believe the Bible and "all other sects believe their interpretations of the Bible, and their creeds" (History of the Church 3:28).	The Bible is reliable and complete for faith. The Bible claims to be the word of God, and the Bible--including Jesus--promised that it would be faithfully preserved. The general consistency of the Septuagint, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the thousands of other ancient manuscripts, lectionaries, and citations from early Church Fathers all attest to this fact. The Bible is by far the best attested work of antiquity. The Bible is archeologically,historically, prophetically, and scientificallyaccurate. And since the Bible contradicts all the other scriptures of the LDS Church, they should all be damned (Ps. 12:6-7; Proverbs 30:6; Isa. 40:7-8; Mt. 5:17-9; 24:35; Jn. 10:35;17:17; and Gal. 1:6-9).