Posted on 06/01/2007 6:12:31 AM PDT by pby
Edited on 06/01/2007 6:55:53 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Is Mormonism Christian?
A Comparison of Mormonism and Historic Christianity Copyright © 1999 Institute for Religious Research. All rights reserved.
Is Mormonism Christian? This may seem like a puzzling question to many Mormons as well as to some Christians. Mormons will note that they include the Bible among the four books which they recognize as Scripture, and that belief in Jesus Christ is central to their faith, as evidenced by their official name, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Furthermore, many Christians have heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing Christian hymns and are favorably impressed with the Mormon commitment to high moral standards and strong families. Doesn’t it follow that Mormonism is Christian?
[snip]
***Yes**
And yet, Alexander Campbell, who started the Church of Christ group , once said that the Baptist church was the most biblically correct church!
So are these guys Christians in your view then?
Irenaeus
- “Do we cast blame on him [God] because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and then later as gods?
Clement of Alexandria
- “Yea, I say, the Word of God became a man so that you might learn from a man how to become a god.”
and
- “if one knows himself, he will know God, and knowing God will become like God. . . . His is beauty, true beauty, for it is God, and that man becomes a god, since God wills it.”
Justin Martyr
- “[in the beginning men] were made like God, free from suffering and death,” and that they are thus “deemed worthy of becoming gods and of having power to become sons of the highest”
Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria
- “The Word was made flesh in order that we might be enabled to be made gods. . . . Just as the Lord, putting on the body, became a man, so also we men are both deified through his flesh, and henceforth inherit everlasting life.”
and
- “He became man that we might be made divine.”
Augustine of Hippo
- “But he himself that justifies also deifies, for by justifying he makes sons of God. ‘For he has given them power to become the sons of God’ [John 1:12]. If then we have been made sons of god, we have also been made gods.”
C.S. Lewis
- “The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him-for we can prevent Him, if we choose-He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said”
***Thanks, bremenboy.
Why is it the church of the devil?***
And while you are at it, please tell us WHY one of your early C of C preachers led his entire congregation into Mormonism?
Well you have a problem then because there are a few NT books that were written AFTER John wrote Revelaion. There was no Bible for that comment to refer to when John wrote it, and you can find the same command in Deut 4. God commands man to not alter his words, there is nothing stopping God from giving man more scripture however.
Is the Pope Buddhist?
It's great that you say this. The LDS church has beliefs that are the closest to what I believe. I have also wondered if there were other religions I should look into. When I read some of the posts on here I make a note to myself of churches I would not want to be a part of.
I always compare it to a guy who yells out a car window at a girl. It's not going to make the girl want to chase after him.
We are talking about different beliefs about the same person, not about two different people called Christ. The definition doesn’t require accepting any specific creed or interpretation. If you want to distance yourself from us accurately, say that we are not orthodox Christians.
***Is it not apostasy to disagree with a Mormon prophet? ***
“No, it is not.”
If it’s not why were the Morrisite mormons massacred on Brigham Young’s orders, ,and Gladdenite Mormons persecuted in 1862.
Ancient history but when you stir old manure it still stinks.
I Will have to agree with you on this. Will he uphold Republican principals? Let’s remember that one of the rulers of Constantinople was also a Paulician. It didn’t destroy the Orthodox Christians.
***I maintain we Mormons are Christians based on the above information. The rejection of 4th century creeds and acceptance of teachings beyond what is in the Bible are not disqualifies.***
You menan Marcionites, Paulicians and Phibionites were also Christian? Gasp!
He also once taught calvnism and I can only guess what other false doctrine. First Campbell never stated the Church of Christ nor do I even consider him all that great of a preacher he was wrong on a few things ( like church supported collages) that led to the church he did start the disciples of Christ better know today as the Christan Church
I have no Ideal. First I heard of this. Maybe the same reason the Elders at the Church in Ephesus led that congregation into the Catholicism. But a lot a preachers and elders have led a lot of people a lot of places. God will Judge them and those who follow their Lawless ways
***I have no Ideal. First I heard of this. ***
Maybe you should read the history of your “church”.
Some of it’s leaders were, and possibly are. My 2nd step-father was one of the former. I learned to use a .45 automatic at the age of 12 because of him. He was an ordained minister, although not THE leader of the church we attended. He did more to damage my faith in God than anyone else in my life. He also, however, gave me the best advice for determining what was true. I hope God will forgive him for the former, as the latter led to me to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He gave me, essentially, the same advice that Joseph Smith gave, citing James, Chapter 1, verse 5. It’s good advice. I’d advise you to follow it, too.
Here lately there have been some who believe Catholics and Mormons are not up to standards of their real faith. I know that I love God and will be the first to say I do not know all the answers but then I believe nobody has all the answers no matter what they think. We can quote scripture after scripture and still think it means different things for different people. I know people who go to church and do all the right things but they are complete snobs. We as Christians are always picking at each other when we know the enemy is not flesh and blood. Now at this time all I can think of is Isaiah 5-20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. And there are many Christians out there who support abortion and homosexuality,splitting churches up even. And it is only going to get worst.Homosexuality is out front and gaining more and more ground and I don’t see enough people in this country who want to end abortion. I do believe there is a darkness coming our way.The President needs to have some kind of moral ground but more important we as Christians need to be Christians and live as Christians. As for my liberal Catholic brothers and sisters who support these evils I pray for them.
Morris imprisoned those who wanted to leave his fold and government forces took action against him for it. He resisted and was killed in the standoff and battle that resulted. A more detailed account is at
http://www.signaturebookslibrary.org/EstZion/zionch17.htm
Gladden was excommunicated and he and his followers were publicly denounced. I don’t know of any violence done to them.
***Morris imprisoned those who wanted to leave his fold and government forces took action against him for it. ***
The article I have is from FRONTIER TIMES magazine, June-July issue 1965.
It was written by Peter Anderson, whose mother had her chin shot away by a cannon ball fired bt Brigham Young’s men.
It tells quite a different story from yours. I also have the later edition of the magazine with letters to the editor and rebuttals about this article.
We have a religion moderator ?
Well for goodness sakes get him to moderate the muslims.
You rang?
LOL. Yes I suppose I did. I’d heard of a variety of moderators but didn’t know we had a religion moderator.
Must be a mighty tough job moderating religion ;-)
Freep On!
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