Ancient Old World Writings Support Mormon Doctrine

[Solon]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

If you read The American Religion by Bloom, he makes frequent mention that Mormonism, as taught by Joseph Smith (not so true today in modern Mormonism), is a reinvention of Jewish and Christian Gnosticism.

It's not that JS had access to these ideas or works, but rather it was his "religious genius" that allowed him to recreate/reveal them.

I'm not sure that Bloom argues that similarities would be proof of God's revelation. But it's interesting nonetheless.

I think it's pretty safe to claim that LDS are modern-day gnostics: they believe in a different form of God/Jesus than "mainstream" Christians and claim to possess extra scripture, teachings, and mystical secret knowledge that protects its owner and provides access to the choicest realms of the afterlife.