One of the issues that drew the most persecution for Joseph Smith was the subject of the nature of God.  The Nicene Creed describes a God which is incomprehensible and impersonal.  It depicts our Heavenly Father as some sort of conglomeration of personalities manifest in different scenarios for different reasons.  The description is so convoluted that the reader will find little in it that will clarify for them the nature of the God that they desire to worship.
 

In contrast, Joseph Smith testified that in a vision he saw the Father and the Son.  Said he, 

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.  When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

Joseph described the Father and the Son as having bodies of flesh and bone.  He taught about a sensual God--one who has feelings and emotions.  A real being in whose image we have been created, and with whom we can develop a very personal and caring relationship.  For this and other reasons Joseph was persecuted and hated because he said that he had seen a vision.  Writing his personal history, Joseph reflected on his experience and the reaction he received from others.

"I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."

So let us compare the Nicene Creed, the document created by 4th century religious thinkers to attempt to agree on one definition of God, and what the Holy Scriptures teach.  Here is the Nicene Creed of 381 AD with the Filioque Clause.

"We 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 the 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 for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit 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 we believe in the Holy Spirit, 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 spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen."

Now a short list of scriptures that illustrate the plain and simple nature and relationship of God the Father, His son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

From the King James Version of the Bible
Genesis 1:26 - let us make man in our image.  Who are us?
Matthew 3:16-17 - Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Ghost all acting independently on one occasion.
Matthew 20:23 - Jesus did not have authority to grant the right to sit at the Father's right hand.
John 17:20-23 - Jesus prays that His disciples can be one even as he and the Father are one.
Acts 7:55-56 - Stephen sees Christ standing on the right hand of God.

The scriptures do not support the confusing and disjointed language of the Nicene Creed.  Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in purpose, thought, and word.  They are not one in body or essence.  Modern revelation confirms the teachings of the Bible vis-à-vis the prophet Joseph's many visions and revelations.  He knew by first-hand experience with the divine that we worship the living God through his living son, Jesus Christ.  Joseph's simple testimony of Christ was: "This is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!  For we saw him, even on the right hand of God."  Based on such knowledge Joseph observed, "[if you] could . . . look into heaven for five minutes you would know more than all that has been written on the subject." (HC 6:50)

I invite you to go to your Heavenly Father in humble prayer and ask Him in the name of his beloved son, Jesus Christ if these things are true.  And if you will ask sincerely, I promise that the Father will make the truth of it known to you by the power of the Holy Ghost.  "And by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things."  (Moroni 10:5)

Here are a few of the common objections or concerns brought up about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and my responses to them.

Are Blacks and other minority groups welcome in Mormon culture?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites all to come unto Christ.  In the Book of Mormon we read, “. . .and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Nephi 26:33)  We invite every nation, kindred, tongue, and people to come unto Christ and be saved for “. . .there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.” (2 Nephi 31:21)  This has always been the Lord’s doctrine and always will be.

The veracity of the revealed doctrines given to Joseph Smith vs. the doctrines established in the Nicene Creed
At the end of the day, this is for everyone to judge by the Spirit.  But remember the Lord’s measuring stick while making this judgment, for said He:

“12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

  13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

  14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

  15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

  16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

  17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

  18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

  19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

  20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

  21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

  22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

  23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

  24 ¶ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

  25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

  26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

  27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.  (Matthew 7:12-27)

So you have to make a judgment; and the only way to do that well is by a humble and honest appeal to your Father in Heaven in the name of His only begotten son, Jesus Christ.  And through the witness of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things.

Do Mormons support the constitution of the United States or do they seek to impose their religious doctrines on government?
I simply refer you to the twelfth Article of Faith written by Joseph Smith in response to the many questions posed to him concerning the beliefs of the Church.  With regard to our view of government, the article reads, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” (The Articles of Faith) 

We believe the Constitution of the United States to be a divinely inspired document and we teach and encourage our members to be civically active in supporting good government and in voting for measures and candidates that most nearly represent their values.  From the earliest days of the restoration, we have answered the call of the government to serve in the armed forces, to send representatives to the congress and to strive to live as law-abiding citizens in whatever country we may reside.

Does The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints actually teach that we can become like God?
Again I appeal to the Holy Scriptures.  The doctrine of exaltation and of becoming like our Father in Heaven is in complete harmony with the teachings of Jesus Christ.  During His Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught as recorded in Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  Again in the book of Romans 8:14-17, Paul explains, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Other references include 1John 3:2-3 and Revelations 3:12; 19-21  You may disagree, but I would invite you to think upon the divine nature within you and consider that you are a son of God and Jesus is clearly inviting you to be perfected in Him and to sit with Him on the right hand of God.

Do Mormons wear sacred underwear?
Yes, endowed members do wear a garment which represents and reminds us of sacred covenants made in the Holy Temples of God.  What’s wrong with that? 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri.
As to the location of the Garden of Eden, I guess this is another matter of faith.  But can you specify precisely the location of the pre-diluvian Garden of Eden without divine help?  In the end, my salvation does not hinge on this matter.  With regard to the age of the earth, we believe that the earth was created in six creative periods—be those days, years, millennia, or what have you.  The Bible reads, “six days.”  We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.  If ‘day’ is an accurate translation of the original then that’s fine with me.  On the other hand, there is significant empirical evidence to suggest that it may have, in fact, taken a bit longer.  That’s OK too.  It is no less a miracle or a wonderful blessing no matter how long it took.

Mormons believe in plural marriage?
The practice of plural marriage in Mormon culture was officially ended in 1890 through a formal declaration by the president of the Church known as 'The Manifesto'.  Due to misunderstandings about whether the manifesto applied to members outside of the United States, the original manifesto was further reinforced by vote in 1904.  This confirmed that the original manifesto applied to all members of the Church wherever they resided in the world.  My wife of 24 years and I look forward to living eternally with one another in a heavenly society with our children, loved ones, and friends.  When we were married, it was not just until 'death do us part,' but for time and all eternity having our marriage sealed by priesthood authority in the temple of God.   

Mormon culture oppresses women and The LDS Church won't allow them to hold leadership positions.
Did you know that the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by the Prophet Joseph Smith on March 17, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois, and today, as one of the oldest standing women's organizations in the world, includes more than 5.6 million women in over 170 countries?  It teaches women to:

Build faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and teach the doctrines of the kingdom (see 2 Nephi 31:20-21; Omni 1:26).

Emphasize the divine worth of each sister (see D&C 25:2-3, 15-16; Moses 6:9).

Exercise charity and nurture those in need (See Mosiah 4:26; Moroni 7:46-48).

Strengthen and protect families (see Mosiah 4:14-15; D&C 130:2).

Serve and support each sister (see 1 Corinthians 12:13-27).

Help sisters become full participants in the blessings of the priesthood

Finally, did you know that in 1893-96 Colorado, Utah and Idaho (all heavily populated by Mormons) were the first three states to grant women the right to vote?  Mormon culture was also among the first to actively encourage its women to seek and gain higher educations.  

Mormon political leaders are controlled from Salt Lake City by the Mormon prophet.
I’ll just point out the gapping disparity between the political views of Mitt Romney and oh say, Harry Reid.  Both of these men claim to be devout members of the Church.  If this is so, please help me understand how two individuals so far apart from each other politically could at the same time be goose-stepping to the Church’s mind-control as has been suggested?  I have heard them both speak passionately about their faith and I’m sure each one believes strongly that they are acting in their best conscience as government leaders.  
 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims to be the only true church on earth.
Since we declare to the world that the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth by prophetic revelation, we have every right to assert that the church that was organized out of that revelation is the only true and living church of Jesus Christ on the earth today.  This is not intended to be a criticism of other religions, but a simple declaration of what we believe to be factual truth.
If no such revelation was received, then our whole religion is one great charade and we are just a bunch of nice people saying nice things to each other.  But if it is true, then it is the single most profound event since the birth, atonement, and resurrection of Christ two millennia ago.  It is therefore worthy of every honest person's consideration.  The Church of Jesus Christ is not on trial, but each of us!  What choice will we make when presented with such information?  Will we reject it or embrace it?  You, me, and everyone must have the opportunity to decide.  
 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a cult.
Let’s look at what a cult is.  According to Webster –

Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate — more at wheel

Date: 1617

1: formal religious veneration: worship  2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also: its body of adherents  3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also: its body of adherents  4: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>  5 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially: such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b: the object of such devotion c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion.
Most of these definitions sound like the heart of Christianity!  Do we as christians not focus our devotion on a single person, even Jesus Christ and His work?  Do we not direct our devotions to this one being?  If this is a cult, then, yes, I am very much a part of it as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ.

Latter-day Saints do not believe in the same Jesus as the rest of Christianity.
There is only one begotten son of God, even Jesus the Christ.  When we speak of Jesus we refer to the son of Mary; born in Bethlehem; raised a Nazarene; the boy who sat in the temple and conversed with the priests; the healer of the blind, the cripple, the leper, even the dead; the one who took upon Him the sins of the world and suffered so much so that it caused Him, even the greatest of all to bleed from every pore.  We speak of the great mediator, our advocate before the Father--our counselor, judge, and Lord.  We declare to the world that Jesus lives and stands at the head of His church restored upon the earth in these latter-days to prepare the way of His coming in glory.  To whom do others refer?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.
As for Lucifer, he was a son of the morning who dwelt in the heavens before the foundation of the world.  But he fell and became the serpent, the dragon; cast down to earth as a result of the war in heaven to tempt and torment man.  Isaiah speaks of it as does John in Revelations.

Isaiah Chp 14

 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

  13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

  14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

  15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Revelations Chp 12

  7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

  8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

  9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

You figure it out for yourself, but it sounds like Lucifer was once a favored son in heaven, but because of greed and ambition, he fell from glory and became the devil. 

In closing I want to commend all those who feel passion and devotion for the cause of righteousness.  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints extend the hand of fellowship to all nations and people.  We seek to find our common faith and beliefs, not to bicker over points of doctrine.  We can do many good things together and bring forth works of righteousness, but in order to do so, we must look over our differences and embrace our common aims.  May the Lord bless and be with you all and may you find many reasons to rejoice.  I offer all of these thoughts to you in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.