When I was a Mormon (35 - 40 years ago), we didn't try to pretend that we were just another Christian Church like the Methodists or the Baptists. We were, in fact, the ONLY TRUE CHURCH and all other Churches were in a state of Apostasy.
Since I left there has been a tendency by the LDS Church to portray itself as just another (but superior) Protestant denomination and the tendency has been to shy away from publicly proclaiming the peculiar (and downright weird) doctrines of Mormonism, and to attempt to portray the LDS Church as a mainline protestant denomination with a strong emphasis on Family.
But when one closely examines the peculiar doctrines of Mormonism one must come to the conclusion that the Jesus that Mormons believe in bears little resemblance to the Jesus of Historical Christianity.
The Mormons believe that theirs is the only true church and all others are false. So if someone points out using scripture and logic that the LDS Church is not really a Christian Church, does that make them a bigot?
The LDS Church is a nice family oriented organization. It is not a Christian Church. Not by any historical definition of the word. If the Mormon Church is true, then all other Churches are false. If any of the other "Christian" Churches is true, then Mormonism is false.
That being said, I would have no problem voting for a conservative Republican for president who happened to be a Mormon. The jury is still out as to whether or not Romney is that guy.
Yes, ole Joe Smith was one STRANGE dude. He taught that all other christian churches were heretical.
Personally, I think he founded Mormonism just to give him a justification to have sex with many women. Reminds me of Mohammed.
There just aren’t many churches out there that:
Make you wear regulation underwear.
Make you wear white shirts at church.
Don’t allow weddings to be a celebration.
Dress up like the Pillsbury Doughboy and repeat silly rituals in secret.
Control your diet.
Ask you intensely personal questions.
Demand at least 10% of your income.
Control what you consider entertainment.
Control what you read.
Control who you associate with.
Bury you in Masonic regalia.
Determine your “worthiness.”
Christian churches just don’t do these things. The bottom line is Mormonism wishes it was a competitor to other Christian churches, it’s not.
We all find out who is right when we're dead. ;-)
I would again point out that any person who comes to believe in the Jesus of the New Testament through reading the words of His gospel writers has come to the real Jesus Christ.
The Mormons DO use the New Testament as one of their many books. Those who come to believe in Jesus via THAT route are turning to the real Jesus.
All the doctrine they’ll later be taught is wrong, but maybe every now and then some of them come to realize that....wouldn’t you agree?