Ever wanted to know exactly what Ed Decker and Saints Alive in Jesus believes? In this email exchange Ed clearly lays out the case for
Christian faith, points out why so many who disagree resort to bashing Christian
apologist's personal lives and lays out the doctrinal stand
-----Original Message----- Dear Ed I just want to let you know that because of your web site, I have had two different friends come to me inquiring about the church. They have not started taking the discussions yet, but have shown great interest. I enjoy reading your articles because they give me new topics to study and have greatly hightened my interest in church history. I've just ordered two new books on church history including the Brigham Youngs Discourses. I assume you mean well by what you do and hope that one day you'll see how people like you fit into Gods plan of separating the wheat from the tares. I look at you as a wolf among the sheep that kills off the old and diseased. Ed: Tens of thousands of LDS
people
and I mean so many thousands of them from all over the world look at the same
material that apparently gives you a good laugh and they see the truth in it and ask some
real questions, eventually leaving the church to become simple free from guilt Christians.. Dear Ed: I just got through reading an entire page of "Ed Bashing." Just to let you know, if the critics of your ministry actually investigated the Mormon church, they would realize that even if not all your points are valid (which they are), they still are following a false doctrine written by the world's greatest con artist trying to become equal with God by becoming gods themselves. Dear
Saints Alive, I
am meeting with some Mormons who come to my home. I
have been delighted with the resource information contained on your website. It is very helpful and I thank you for it. As the
Mormon young men told their story about the "revelations" received by young
Joseph Smith, it reminded me of the visions and tales told by Shirley McClain, the occult
New-Age actress. Later as I reviewed some of
your website I became convinced that young Joseph must have dealt with things occult. My testimony of the Gospel is not an intellectual one based on the arm of flesh but rather a testimony like Peters which was given to me by God through the holy ghost. I find it incredible that anyone could be so incredibly motivated to discredit another church without having some personal gain. How much money have you made with all of your books and movies Ed? Ed: The royalties from my books and films are not paid to me but are paid directly to the Ministry of Saints Alive for the distribution of free and low cost materials and outreaches. It has always been that way and always will be. My wife and I have always been among the top 5 donors/ personal supporters of the ministry. When the God Makers film was being produced, my wife and I mortgaged our home and put the money into the project. It is called putting your money where your mouth [and heart] is. I can't help but see the resemblance between a certain Judas Iscariot and yourself. You flatter yourself as a great scholar of the bible. Ed: I have never said that I was a great scholar of the Bible.. Why do you put words in my mouth that I dont say and then mock them?? You should be ashamed of yourself. You do exactly what you accuse me of and do it without a blush. I do read it, study it, and live by its principles as a daily practice for over 25 years. Do you really trust your great intellect enough to risk having fought against the true church of Christ. I mean let's just suppose that you are wrong. I mean Anyone can be wrong. Ed: So could you. If Im wrong in doing what I believe spiritually I must do, and you are right, I go into a paradise afterlife. If you are wrong and I am right, you go to hell. You obviously feel that all of the Latter Day Saints are just blindly following the church leaders. Like no one is doing their temple work, no one studies the bible etc. Well, wouldn't that be a shock to stand before Jesus and find out you actually spent the majority of your life fighting against him. Ed:
That is the Mormon Jesus I am against, the one born when Heavenly father had sex with his
daughter, Mary, the one who was voted to be our savior by the heavenly council, the one
who points the way, but isnt our personal way, the one who died so we can be raised
up to judged for our works, the one who sweat drops of blood for us in the Garden, who
didnt die on Calvary for our sins, the one who lied when he said the gates of hell
would not prevail against his church
Is that the one you are talking about??? I know that even when I was completely inactive ,scanning porn sites, living it up, being as evil as I possibly could etc. I still would have never listened to someone like you. Ed:
Thats your problem! Now, that I'm back in the church, and am actually living the gospel, and feel the spirit healing me and helping me put off the natural man ,helping me see women as they should truly be seen and feeling love for everybody (members and non members alike) I know that this is NO CULT. Ed: Says you . Yet the entire body of evangelical Christianity says it is.. so take your pick. No matter how you try to define it. But anyway, we love the sinner but hate the sin. We love you and your followers but hate to see you waste so much of your effort in such a fruitless labor. Ed: It is hardly unfruitful.. When tens of thousands of Mormons/ Masons/ JWS listen and act Biblically on what they see/hear/read, we are hardly fruit-less. Unfortunatley, the majority of the people who will listen to you will give up christianity altogether. That must give you alot of satisfaction. Ed: Sorry, you would like to believe that, but the vast majority become members of an orthodox Church. Probably over 95%. I feel sicker visiting your web site then I used feel when visiting some of the porn sites. I don't see too much of a difference. I mean I had such a sick feeling reading your articles. Ed: Truth hurts sometimes... Why didn't the Lord testify to me that they were true? I mean why didn't I feel the warm promptings of the spirit as I read your articles. Very curious. Ed: No. It isnt odd at all. you pray to this man-god living near the great star Kolob, so busy with his many wives A false god and a false spirit.. of course it isnt going to give you witness to leave him/it/them... What is the name of your particular denomination? There's no such thing as a non denomination. Ed: There certainly is. You seem to know very little about Christian church structures. Surely you must be man enough to comitt to some set of beliefs. Anyone can just stand aside and critic others. Where are your beliefs so we can see your errors. Are you going to just say the bible. Certainly, anyone can see that the bible can be interpreted many ways. What is your interpretation? Or are you afraid of exposing yourself to error? Your general set of beliefs doesn't qualify in my mind. I want to know the nitty gritty. Ed: Im very sorry, but there is no nitty-gritty in Christian Orthodoxy The gospel is simple man makes it complicated and buries truth in the nitty-grittys of vain imaginations like becoming gods and goddesses.. So sad To
be even more simpler, let me leave you with this: I
believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things
visible and invisible. And
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all
worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made, being of one
substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who
for us men and our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of
the Virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He
suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and
ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And He shall come again
with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father
and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who
spake by the prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and A VOICE OF WARNING
"That we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking
the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ." (Ephesians 4:14-15) "For there shall arise
false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; inasmuch that,
if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect, Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say
unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers;
believe it not." (Matt 24:24-26) JUST IN CASE
Just in case a latter-day
prophet has come to you and said that God has told him all these creeds were abominations
to Him (filthy in his eyes), and all those who profess them are corrupt, take a real hard
look at this prophet. I tell you that the gospel
of Jesus Christ has not left the earth since it "was once and for all
delivered." It never did! It is the very same today as it was the day Christ died for
your sins and mine . . . on the Cross of Calvary, where He became our sin offering and put
the gospel He preached into reality. It's there for you today, just as it was that day He
paid the price. Will you take action today in response to His gift? Sincerely His servant, Ed Decker Ed Answers Thomas Again Dear Thomas: It is so interesting that you must communicate at
a level of personal attack rather than
a calm response to any of a number of doctrinal differences I/we have with LDS church
doctrine.. Some wise man once said that the
last defense of an indefensible position is personal attacks against the other individual.
Cant you see how mindless such behavior is? By
the way, I dont have followers. I dont profess that I am a latter
day prophet. Here are my/our basic beliefs:
(c) 2002, Ed Decker and Saints Alive in Jesus |