Jim, most of the time Jeff carries a very civil tone; and, being a convert to Mormonism who still has Evangelical family members, Jeff appears to have had to "walk a fine line" in trying to be "reconciling" as much as possible to stave off relational tension and possibly even conflict.
Jeff's the kind of Mormon you want as your nextdoor neighbor.
But he's NOT the kind of guy who would do well as a "Paul Harvey" -- providing the rest of the story.
He tends to reduce the differences between Mormonism and Christianity.
And since a LOT of his comments are on political threads, that's good "common sense." You want people of similar values to coalesce 'cause if they're always focusing on the HUGE differences, then progress vs. other targets gets compromised.
Well, Jeff's the kind of Mormon who would be a pleasure to coalesce with at the local food bank or say as a fellow 'Scout leader.
But, again, what's that rest of the story missing in his response?
Well, I could go into a LOT of detail on that...but here's the key part:
Mormons have spent $millions of dollars and over a million missionaries to go around the world to slander worldwide Christianity as "apostates" -- essentially the very same teaching Islam has about Christianity (they call us "infidels").
One of the top Mormon missionary lessons is to stress the so-called "universal apostasy." (That's about US as Christians)
Additionally, in the Lds "scripture" Pearl of Great Price, the founding "vision" Joseph Smith had with two unnamed entities is elaborated...and on vv. 18-19 we are referenced as "corrupt" (100% of our professing believers), and that our creeds are 100% an "abomination." Smith used the word "ALL" there, too.
If Joseph Smith labels 100% of our creeds as an "abomination," and if Mormons like Jeff Head tithe to reprint that slander, and translate that slander, then no wonder we are at odds...IOW, we didn't start this verbal conflict...the Mormons did...and continue it with their accusations of Christians and Christianity.
So, as this pertains to this thread's comments...you can see that his language of reconciliation is just a "cover"... that "hides" what's underneath the surface...and it's not simply a given Mormon leader's "opinion" about Christians/Christianity...but Lds "scripture" -- from which true-believing Mormons can't readily depart...
Mormons tend to smile...be friendly...but thru that smile, underneath, for us as Christians, it's "you are an 'apostate'...your creeds are 100% putrid."
Now there IS a Mormon movement led by John Dehlin who believes that Mormonism Is NOT "the only true church."
That movement is growing, but is yet to be 'representative' of Mormonism.
They made it clear back then...it was because there had been a general apostacy away from Christ's teachings.
And as some protested away from the Catholic Church, later others protested away from them for the same reasons.
The fact that there was an apostacy is one of the best documented facts in religious history as atteted by the quotes of the many very brave and honorable people at the time who risked all, including their lives, and many who lost their lives as a result.
From the 1400s on, and even earlier fro hundreds of years. in the 1600s and 1700s and into the 1800s, it was one of the principle reasons so many came to these shores. To find religious freedom away from apostate churches.
It was also something prophesied in the new Testamnent that the day of Christ's return would not come until after there had been a falling away first...and then a restoration.
Some folks feel that the reformation from Luther through Wesley and others to form the Protestant churches fulfilled that prophesy. We feel that those events led to it.
So in the interest of, "telling the rest of the story," let's not leave that part out.
Yes, we believe Christ Himself told Joseph Smith that such an Apostacy had occurred and was the reason for their visitation. It did not condemn the people, it condemned the state of the church organizations and leaders at the time. The Church in fact reveres many of those reformers and some of the comments they made when rebelling against Rome, or whichever State Church of the day they rebelled against. Wycliff, Huss, Martin Luther, Calvin, Smyth, John Wesley and so many others.
Just wanted, for the sake of complete explanation and information to make sure that whole story got told as well.
But notice, Colo, in doing so, I am not implying or stating that you have some mal-intent, or conspiracy going in leaving it out, or some kind of feeling that there is a undelying effort to "hide" it from others on your part. Just a simple difference in opinion and intepretation explains it and more than suffices. IOW, your terminolgy when referring to the LDS is one of a reviling nature, as if though we are trying to hide things from people, and secretly fool and mislead people. Nothing could be further from thr truth...and we have discussed this many, many times on other threads.
I know you love the Lord. I respect you and anyone else who sincerely does...like my own brother you referred to. There is not some kind of "tight rope" walk involved there to try and maintain family relations. My brother and I love each other unconditionally and recognize our mutual commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and respect it...even if we differ in some doctrines. I have attended his evangelical prayer meetings and been asked by the pastor to offer prayer for all involved...as a Mormon of all things.
I have taken sacrement from a very good Lutheran priest while in Houston in rehab, and did so as an LDS and thanked him for his kind, Christian treatment and acceptance of a card carrying, LDS High Priest...to which he smiled and hugged me in true Christ-like love and compassion.
I know that bringing souls to Christ is the key thing at any level of knowledge of Him and acceptance of His Atonement because it saves them, and helps them be better...healed in God's eyes certainly, but also for all of society.
The LDS love Christ...and are simply trying to do the same. Nothing more sinister to it than that. You can either believe that as honestly and sincerely stated to you by someone who has been involved with the Church for 42 years and held several leadership positions in it over that time...or you can continue with this devisive and reviling attitude. But I have told you the truth, and that's all I can do.
And with that. IMHO, this thread has devolved into a pretty nasty exchange of people making very judegemental and what I consider to be ill-tempered and un-Christian accusations at each other...which does not serve conservatism in the least. So I will excuse myself and continue trying to defeat Obama and his administration in the best way I can.