Mormons Aren't Christians (Columnist also calls Luther a heretic)

Dallas Morning News ^ | 12/16/07 | Rod Dreher

[Mobile Vulgus]

Mormons aren't Christians ...

... and other thoughts on religion and politics sure to get your blood boiling

Herewith, my views on religion and the politics of the present moment, with something to offend just about everyone:

1. Mormons aren't Christians. I don't mean that as a criticism, only as a descriptive phrase. When Mormons claim Jesus Christ as their savior, there's no reason to doubt their sincerity and good will, or even to deny that they are in some way followers of Christ. Yet Mormonism rejects foundational doctrines of traditional Christian orthodoxy, such that it is impossible to reconcile with normative Christianity.

2. Anyway, the Latter-day Saints church teaches that all other Christian churches are apostate. A heretic is someone who rejects one or more doctrines of religion, but an apostate is someone who has rejected the religion entirely. How is it, exactly, that you can get mad when people you regard as apostates consider you to be ... apostate? How does that work?

3. Theologically, this is a big deal. But politically, so what? Mormons vote like Southern Baptists and come down on the same side of most issues of public morality like conservative Christians do. If you're a socially conservative lawmaker, wouldn't you rather have a Mormon in your legislative foxhole than a Kennedy-style cafeteria Catholic or progressive mainline Protestant? I'm no Romney fan, but is there really no meaningful political difference between Good-Mormon Mitt and Bad-Catholic Rudy, to say nothing of Liberal-Protestant Hillary?

4. There are plenty of good reasons for conservative Christians not to vote for Mr. Romney, but his religious beliefs are not among them. Do Christians want to be in the position of rejecting a candidate whose political views and moral values they agree with, solely because they don't like his religion?

[Rudder]

Ignore whatever differences you perceive between Mormons and Christians for they don’t amount to jack sh-t anyhow.

[Cvengr]

Where the Word of God is proclaimed and rejected by the audience, the believer who so communicated it is to depart, even removing the dust off his feet from such an encounter.

Yes, it is possible to discern antichristian behavior and not associate with it. This doesn’t involve the judgment of that person’s salvation, but may involve wisdom, whcih is preceded by knowledge.

[GregH]

I am a Protestant Christian and I am comfortable in my faith. Whether Mormons or any other church attender are Christians or not is not for others to judge, the Bible is rather clear and against on making such judgements.

This is faith and not politics and their is a difference, I can make judgement on what a Democrat is and his political views, your brainless and idiotic comparision is meaningless and illogical.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Who? The kids’ friends, parents, or teachers?

[DelphiUser]

Right as far as you went ... however, once Mitt and Ann "gain exaltation," Ann will be one of Mitt's many wives and she will be forever pregnant and giving birth to Mitt's "spirit babies."

If ignorance is bliss you must be ecstatically happy. Go read a little about our church for this is from not our teachings.

http://www.lds.org

[RobRoy]

>>Mormons believe that Jesus was the divine son of God who died and was resurrected, and therefore they are Christians, regardless of any other doctrinal differences.<<

Guess it depends on how you define the word “Christian”. Mormonism does not teach the concept of perfect grace. They teach “helping hand” grace. IOW, the blood of Christ ALONE is not enough to atone for ones sins. Many would say that if you do not believe that, you are not a Christian.

But I suppose it depends on what one means by “Christian”.

[GregH]

Since Salvation is tied with whether one is Christian or not, the author of this article made that judgement and this is not for him to judge.

You can offer your wisdom on whether Mormons deviate from biblical teachings, that is different from judging whether they are Christians or not. This is where this article shifts in rather extreme territory.

[DelphiUser]

It’s the old lie of Satan, that we can be as Gods, and Joseph Smith and his followers fell for it, just as Adam did.

OK, there are so many things wrong here, that I'll have to structure my response:

A. Eve "fell fro it, not Adam" B. Satan told Eve (Genesis 3:4-5)

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

C. Later in that same Chapter, God says... ()

22 ¶ And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

D. So Satan says You shall be as the Gods knowing Good from Evil, and later God says Man has become as one of us knowing Good from Evil, ergo, Satan told ........ The Truth! (The really frustrating thing is Satan cannot even be relied upon to reliably lie, he'll tell the truth in order to get you to trust him enough to believe a lie, and in this case, God says he told the truth.)

Nice example, too bad it is 100% backwards.

Mormons are not Christians...

Please, speak for yourself.

God Bless

[Caipirabob]

I won't stand for Mormons being persecuted. This has to stop now. Debate all you want, haggling over niggling details should NOT be part of election year politics any more than the color of one's skin.

Rip the man on his socialist apologies and chameleon's approach to populist positions. Leave the Mormons alone...

"Leave Mitt alone!..."

[Caipirabob]

socialist apologies

Uhng...more coffee.

Socialist POLICIES...

Better! *slurp*

[DelphiUser]

Pleae watch this and come back and see if you still hold to that.

That old inaccurate, clip from "The God Makers" again, LOL! Keep posting it, many who watch it later ask us fro more information realizing that it is inaccurate from just the clips you guys post (I am being kind by only saying Inaccurate)

Do you guys even know the meaning of the words "Over the top"?

[donna]

if he is not worthy to call her, the call rolls up to the next worthy priesthood holder in her line of authority, her father, grandfather, etc. Eventually you would get to Adam.

Er, that's kinda the point - Mormons don't believe women are equal before god. I can't vote for a politician who believes that.

[DelphiUser]

Ah, the empty argument of "do not judge others" rears it's brainless head again.

Name calling, and dismissing someone's argument for being "Stupid" In one shot, wow what a sentence...

Unfortunately, you then say...

I don't have space to discuss here-- do you own research

LOL! You're stupid, but I won't help you, go try again so i can make more fun of you without having to post anything except how much better "I" am than you.

You should look up this word, it's not something tat Goes well with a "Christ centered" life.

[PetroniusMaximus]

“That old inaccurate, clip from “The God Makers” again, LOL!”

What do you find to be inaccurate it it? Honestly.

[DelphiUser]

Er, that's kinda the point - Mormons don't believe women are equal before god. I can't vote for a politician who believes that.

Actually they do believe men and women are equal, but you may feel free to believe whatever you want, hey that oughtta be in the constitution somewheres </Sarc>

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

but many so-called conservatives don’t seem to take that document very seriously,

I've noticed that alot in the last 6 years or so and it's getting worse it makes my nerves twist in knots thinking about it !

[Manic_Episode]

"He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10)."

=======================================

To use Gods word to justify a demonic lie is blasphemy.

[DelphiUser]

What do you find to be inaccurate it it? Honestly.

Well, they Got the name of the church right, everything else was at least ninety if not 180 degrees from our beliefs, I'll just hit a few high points of absurdity.

• God having sex with Mary? Mormons believe in the Virgin Birth, hello, anybody understand the meaning of the word VIRGIN over there?
• Satan and Jesus being Brothers, I can prove that all of us are brothers with the Bible, so of course Jesus, (God's biological son), and any created being (thus being a child) can be called brothers. But the ninety degree out of whack part is it's not significant doctrine, and many churches have this as a part of their "obscure doctrines" (the Catholics are one) because it's straight from the Bible so it's only value is to shock the uneducated.
• Endless celestial Sex? Get real. Mormons do not believe that. Specifically we do not know how spirits were created by God, only that they were indeed created by God as all things are his creations.

I could Go on and On, but I'm already known for my long posts, Want to know what's wrong with the whole thing? Go Here

IMHO, The rest of it is Equally as wrong and presented in a way designed to freak people out.

Not a very Christlike approach, IMHO.

[DelphiUser]

I gotta Go to bed, play with you guys in the AM.

[WildcatClan]

These threads have become silly. There is nothing to be gained by these back and forth tilts. The mean result can only be anger, hurt feelings and division. One can vote for or not vote for anyone that one chooses for any reason. What one believes is up to them and Almighty God. The silliness in the debates comes in when the exchange devolves into individual doctrines and beliefs. There is no reason for that, ever. Go to the root of any denomination or religion, the prophet, the leader.

Because it is not possible for God to lie; his prophets, his messengers will not lie. If Mahomet, Joseph Smith or Ron Hubbard are found truthful in prophecy, then so too are their respective denominations/Religions. So, it boils down to “Who was Joseph Smith?” and “Were the things he said truthful?” Without Joseph Smith, there is no Mormon. I don’t think that would keep me from voting for Romney. I have other reasons other than his belief system. If you choose not to vote for him because of his belief system, or for him because of same, that is your right. So let it go, we all know what we believe and we know what level of importance it plays when casting our vote. So do so, nothing is hindering you, but the divisiveness and in-fighting hinders and harms us all in the end.