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 ...
I am not asserting anything. I merely asked a question. You folks that are rabid anti-mormon are making the assertions. Why can’t you guys answer a question without circular logic?
The answer was crystal clear. It just made no sense in comparison to what you’ve been trained & indoctrinated to believe by your leadership.
It made no sense in answer to the plain and direct question I asked. It appeared to be circular logic mixed with a little scripture. I don’t seem to recall you actually quoting the scriptures that say that Jesus and God are one entity.
Geez, you should really attempt to actually read the fullness of a response:
John 10:30 - I and my Father are one.
John 10: 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye abelieved not: the bworks that I do in my Father’s cname, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My asheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they bfollow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which agave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are aone.
31 Then the Jews took up astones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for ablasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself bGod.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are agods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath asanctified, and bsent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the cSon of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, abelieve the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the bFather is in me, and I in him.
Hmmm . . . would you explain the rest of the passage.
Why do you ask for explanation when you reject explanations that don’t fit the Mormonism dogma? Would you be less nasty to posters if we would just post the Mormon ‘interpretation’ of that passage ... of course we would leave out the LDS alphabet markers for the passages?
Allow me to ask you flat out: do you believe Jesus was lying when He said Him and the Father are One?
“Resistance is futile.....you will be assimilated......”
Help me out with this one, Mountain:
Alma 46:13:And he fastened on his head-plate, and his abreastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the btitle of liberty) and he cbowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land.
How could there be “Christians” 70 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ?
(Sources for this question gleaned exclusively from official LDS sources, BTW)
You have problems with people that question your interpretation of the scriptures. As an example, I would interpret that section as: We are of one mind. Think about it; it makes more sense that way.
I do not believe that Jesus Christ was capable of lying. Do I believe that your interpretation of that passage is correct? No, I do not. I believe that Jesus was saying that He and His Father are of one mind, one purpose. It makes better sense with the rest of the New Testament than the Triune stuff from the romans and greeks you guys believe.
For the answer to that question, kindly read the rest of Alma. It is a very interesting book, actually.
You guys believe? You mean because it doesn’t fit into your church-creators’ flawed dogma?
OK, yes, now I understand where you’re coming from. Fits well in with what you post.
Oh, I see. You do not accept that I will not answer your question directly. But, when you are queried, you find it convenient to do exactly the same.
Once again, makes sense.
1) Why is there not one single map in the BoM? Where are these places?
2) What is “Reformed Egyptian”, and why has no one ever heard of it?
Why does a mainstreamer have such problems answering questions about the Bible? Are you joining MHGinTN in denying the Book of James now?
Actually, I have no problem with people not agreeing with me ... I’ve spent years contemplating the things of the Bible, the teachings of Jesus, and the words from the disciples/Apostles. I’ve also spent years contemplating things of Physics and cosmology. A few weeks ago (perhaps before you joined the fray at FR) I offered an explanation of how Jesus and The Father and The Holy SPirit are One yet manifesting in three different ways. Momrons didn’t like it so they dismissed it with ‘that’s your opinion’, as if there could be anything other than opinions offered on so deep a concept! Therein is the reason for reticence in offering the explanation again ... and to merely say ‘they were of one mind’ is way short of the depth in the passage you posted.
I think you are wrong. I never believed in the triune stuff, even when I was a baptist. It seems a lot of smoke and mirrors when the scriptures are pretty plain and simple reading. The problem is that God had them written for everyone and people like you have an impossible time believing what is written. That is your error. You read them and develop a theology to interpret them and then read them to support your theology. We read them to learn how to return to Heavenly Father.
“I think you are wrong.” Did you go back so quickly and read the explanation I gave lo those many weeks ago? Wow, you’re fast!
“We read them to learn how to return to Heavenly Father.”
Oh, I was under the impression that you read them to learn how to BE Heavenly Father.
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