(This letter is in response to a lot of Christians getting mad at me for pointing out that purchased degrees of Christian leaders do not give them the authority on Mormonism they pretend to have. Many have accused me of unChristian behavior because I appear to be attacking the person. I honestly don't see it this way. I see a sickly disease of deliberate dishonest and unethical behavior creeping up in Christianity that we all have to unite together and fight against, or it will seriously backfire in preaching Jesus Christ to the rest of the world)
Dear Christians:
I have thought long and hard on the idea that we Mormons are accused of acting in an unChristian like manner because we point out the phony degrees of supposed Christian leaders in your camp, such as Walter Martin and Dee Jay Nelson.
Let me say, that along with some Christians, I too am quite displeased, and in fact rather mad at the unethical behavior of the likes of Walter Martin, and Dee Jay Nelson among others for merely buying their degrees and bragging they have the legitimate goods. I just finished re-reading the New Testament again. Marvelous book! So, I feel it somewhat of a necessity to clarify my own feelings on these matters.
The vaunted arrogance of simply buying a degree in lieu of actually doing the legitimate work necessary to have the accurate and honest knowledge is sad to me. I am supposed to be persuaded by those who unethically use that degree as some sort of authority to clobber my religion which I love. It would be as if I had left Peter to follow Simon, who, it will be recalled, tried to purchase the Priesthood power of God. (Acts 8:18-20). I will paraphrase Peter’s answer for all your own edifications for my own thinking on all this shenanigans goings on within your own Christian communities. "Your purchased and phony degrees perish with thee. Thou hast thought that the gift of knowledge may be purchased with money. (See Acts 8:20).
Rightly have Christians been mad at my bringing this up, as if I am attacking the person. I also am mad about it. Consider the non-Christians and their views of this rather embarrassing thing Christian leaders are doing. Do you think this phoniness for the praise of man and vanity of the world is going to cause them to look on Christ correctly and with respect? Not a whit. I, with you, will join together and tell those whited sepulchers, those inwardly ravening wolves, to either do it legitimately or be in danger of hell fire. We need to run them out on a rail, instead of worrying about Joseph Smith for now. They are not creating a good cause for Christ among the non-Christians whatsoever. Christians’ anger is because their hearts are pricked, and they inwardly recognize this truth, and it is infuriating. It ought to be. It is embarrassing. And what’s more if we Christians do nothing about it, the shame is also on our own heads as well. The blood be on us if we turn away and pretend nothing is wrong. Something is very wrong here. We are so used to observing the mote in our neighbors eye, we cannot see the beam in our own. We stand condemned for using their phoniness as a legitimate enterprise to destroy another religion which accepts Christ.
What if it were discovered that I myself or John Gee had purchased a Ph.D in Egyptology? (I have had three such opportunities over the Internet) And further, that I had claimed my website was my Doctoral Dissertation? Were that to have been discovered, I would never have heard the end of it, and I assure you, in Christ’s name I speak, that the anti-Mormons would have proclaimed this as proof positive that we have nothing to show for the Book of Abraham. We have lied in order to bolster the authority of the Book of Abraham. Nothing I would say would be legitimate in any Christian’s eyes were this to have happened. What then? Can ye not discern the times yourselves Christians? Your own leaders are doing thusly, and when we point it out, we are blamed for unChristian behavior? What is this? Well ought you to have turned to the culprits of guilt, not the messengers. It is we Mormons you are trying so hard to convert out of Mormonism. What, by using phony Christians and their purchased degrees? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, it shall not be. Ye ought to consider the weightier matters of the law than these. Ye do hide your candle under a bushel rather than let it shine.
Were any Mormon to do what Martin or Nelson had done, I would not read his books. I would not quote him. I would tell him face to face to knock it off, it does no one any good whatsoever, and it reflects sourly on Jesus Christ. I would not let a Mormon get away with this type of vain arrogance for his own person and supposed brainpower. Ask the Mormons around here who know me. I lambast some of my own for doing things of this sort on the Internet. I have yet to find a Mormon who goes so far in sheer desperation, however, as to actually fall for buying a higher degree so as to gain credibility! That is simply astonishing to me. And quite unconvincing.
As 1 Samuel 16 says "Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature [his degrees with which he has purchased], man looks on the outward appearance [I am smarter than you, I have a Th.D or Ph.D – therefore what I say is more truthful and accurate than what you say] The Lord looketh on the heart (vs. 7).
If you Christians were sincerely trying to convert we Mormons, you could not, you would know without question that you would not do so by resorting to quoting and defending unethical Christian leaders who lie and cheat. If they lie and cheat in this degree business, they do so with what they write also. They are faith destroyers. They have not the Light of Christ in them. Since I am one you are trying so very hard to convince, I give you the answer and the way to thus convert me and other Mormons if that were possible. First quit defending and bothering to quote phony Christian leaders works against Mormonism. Quote respectable Christians who have written on the subject and you’ll be far more convincing. And, what’s more, we will take it more seriously. As the seven sons of Sceva told Paul, which I paraphrase for today’s correlation, Billy Graham I recognize as legitimate Christian, and Norman Geisler I recognize as legitimate Christian, but as for Martin and Nelson, who are they? (see Acts 19). Remember, it is I you are trying to convince, and verily, verily I say unto thee, it shall in no wise be done in this manner. When Martin or Nelson is ever used, I know without doubt ye have no light in you either. Which of you convinceth me of sin? None among you who rely on arrogant lying and cheating among your own leaders, to be sure. It reflects on them. It reflects on you. And it reflects on Christ. If you clean not up your own house first, why should I believe you can clean up mine own? I have shown you the way to possible conversion, will ye then likewise go and do that which is right?
Kerry A. Shirts