Posted on 12/04/2007 1:27:39 PM PST by Zakeet
From baptism of the dead to a ban on coffee, Mormonism's doctrines are alien to many Americans and that is unlikely to change when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gives a long-awaited speech on his faith this week, religious scholars say.
Thursday's address by the former Massachusetts governor, who would be the first Mormon president of the United States, could fuel more questions than answers about a faith many powerful evangelical Christian voters dismiss as a cult.
"I can't see him really making a kind of passionate defense of Mormonism. That's not going to win votes. On the other hand, to pretend he is an evangelical is not going to win. He is in a very awkward position," said Alan Wolfe, director of Boston College's Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life.
[Snip]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the sect based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is formally known, is the fourth-largest U.S. religion and one of the richest, with 12.9 million members globally and an estimated $5 billion in annual revenue. More than half live outside the United States.
It bans alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee. It maintains there is no eternal hell, the dead can be baptized and that God speaks through living apostles and prophets such as the church's current president, Gordon Hinckley.
Although Mormons revere Christ as their savior and consider themselves devout Christians, they reject the unified Trinity and teach that God has a body of flesh.
They believe the religion's founder, Joseph Smith, was a prophet instructed by God to restore the true church and that the Bible contains errors.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Give it up, preacher-man. You've already shown everyone here the depth of your shallowness. And you're boring, as well.....
Luke 22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
The question remains: Why did Jesus pray if He is God?
Come on, you guys are telling me why I am wrong about everything, answer this simple little question!
SOMEbody seems to know a lot about you, OMM.
Related?
Amen!
sw
Dust your shoes at their doorsteps, depart, and cast not thy pearls before swine. I will not waste any more words on them lest it be for recreation -- or otherwise address their venomous and purposelesss lies -- until I appear as a witness against them at the Judgement Bar...
Jesus also said that those who have seen Him have seen the Father.
South Park hit on a lot of the differences, but there’s a bunch more (God the Father being reared and given Godhood by other gods and taking a wife or wives, and from their having sex our souls resulted. Jesus and Lucifer being brothers, etc.)
That is the most illogical and non scriptural bunch of hooey I’ve ever read. Try again.
Nice way to dodge the question. Come back when you have an answer.
I wonder the same...but I am willing to allow that a person can realize the error of their ways, repent of it and change. I just wantto know that it is sincere change, from the heart, and not one of political expediency. Time and experience is what will tell that.
It is for amusement. They are comical.
That’s true. I also know truth when I see it.
Obviously you are stating a lie.
Cute. You are a comedian, aren’t you?
Are you asserting that Jesus was lying when he said that those who see Him see the Father?
From what I have seen of some of the pro-LDS posters on this board I would say that “seeing” anything would be impossible, as a head in the sand is not conducive to open eyes.
Ahh yes, name-calling and personal attacks from the “true” church-goers.
Typical......
Oh, please! Can't you rise above juvenile tactics? Can't you formulate a cogent response without the nasty retorts?
If you want to discuss the issues, then do so. But when you go on the attack, your points are so hidden by vitriol that few would want to continue talking with you. When you watch the national debates, do the candidates point fingers at each other, scream and call each other names? NO! Have you figured out WHY?
Such folks want to engage, but rarely ever have anything of substance to offer beyond the “burning in the bosum” type affirmation.
When that fails, they fall back to attacks on the messengers.
So be it. They are free to remain in the dark since they are uncompelled to search for the light switch.
Excuse me but the first two lines omitted the quotation marks. They were not mine. If you are going to be in a huff, get a better target than me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.