ARE MORMONS ANTI-CHRISTIAN?

Mormons often say that Christians that write or speak about the Mormon Church and Mormonism as being contrary to the gospel that Christ and His apostles taught are Anti-Mormon. But the Mormon Church and Mormon Church leaders have a long history of declaring Christianity to be false, fallen and contrary to true doctrine. By the Mormon standard of Anti-Mormon, is the reverse scenario that Mormons are Anti-Christian?

Mormons and the Mormon Church often and freely throw around the term “Anti-Mormon”. The Mormon Church often labels anyone who speaks anything about Mormonism or the LDS Church that does not promote faith in it or that does not portray it a positive light as Anti-Mormon.

But the term Anti-Mormon really is far too broad a brush and is used far too frequently where it’s not warranted. Certainly, there are some that may certainly qualify as Anti-Mormon in the sense that they hate the Mormon Church (most of those are individuals who have belonged to it at one point). However, just because one seeks to get the message out to the Mormon people that there are credibility problems with the Mormon Church and/or that Mormon Beliefs are in conflict with the Word of God does not mean that there is hate or attack in the message. But the term Anti-Mormon indeed carries an inference of hate and/or religious bigotry. However, kindly proclaiming truth in love and with real concern for the spiritual welfare of a people is not hateful - it is not Anti.

I think most Christians would not condone any behavior that is truly disrespectful to the Mormon people, such as defiling Mormon Temple Garments in public or chanting Secret Temple phrases on the streets. Those who do engage in such conduct, should examine the Word of God and re-think their approach. If the truth cannot be proclaimed in love, it probably should not be proclaimed, unless and until it can be proclaimed in such manner.

It is a legitimate for bible-believing Christians to bring to light doctrines that truly are contrary to the Word of God - the bible. Neither Jesus nor His apostles would hold back in calling out false doctrines and practices and giving a warning. Here is an example of some of their warnings:

"[B]ut there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:1-8

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER GOSPEL, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11: 3-4

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

In fact, past LDS Church Leaders in the past have proclaimed that if the Mormon Church or its scriptures be proven false that it should be exposed to the world as a fraud. Here's an oft-quoted example:

Orson Pratt made this statement concerning The Book of Mormon: "This book must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God... If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions... The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; If false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it... If, after a rigid examination, it be found an imposition, it should be extensively published to the world as such; the evidences and arguments on which the imposture was detected, should be clearly and logically stated, that those who have been sincerely yet unfortunately deceived, may perceive the nature of deception, and to be reclaimed, and that those who continue to publish the delusion may be exposed and silenced, not by physical force, neither by persecutions, bare assertions, nor ridicule, but by strong and powerful arguments - by evidences adduced from scripture and reason..." (Orson Pratt's Works, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Liverpool, 1851, pp. 1-2).

There are in fact many evidences that show that the veracity Mormon Church, the Book of Mormon and other Mormon Scriptures and teachings are, at worst, false - or, at best, seriously in question. Although it may make some uncomfortable, there should be no harm in letting the facts be illuminated so that they can be seen for what they are (in fact, that should be encouraged):

"For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:20-21

What is truth will not mind being examined for what it is. After all, it is the truth that shall make us free.

For the reverse scenario, consider some of Mormonism's many statements against Christianity:

"What is it that inspires professors of Christianity generally with a hope of salvation? It is that smooth, sophisticated influence of the devil, by which he deceives the whole world," (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 270) (Emphasis added)

"We talk about Christianity, but it is a perfect pack of nonsense.... Myself and hundreds of the Elders around me have seen its pomp, parade, and glory; and what is it? It is a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; it is as corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century," (John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, 1858, p. 167) (Emphasis added)

"The Christian world, so-called, are heathens as to the knowledge of the salvation of God" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:171)

"With a regard to true theology, a more ignorant people never lived than the present so-called Christian world" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 8:199)

"And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God [Mormon Church] belongeth to that great church which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth" (1 Nephi 14:10)

"And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth [all churches other than the LDS Church], whose foundation is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence. . ." (1 Nephi. 14:17)

[There is] "no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p.190

"You call us fools; but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a God, and also upon Brigham Young, our Governor” Heber C. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, p. 88

"One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation," (Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball, p. 206)

"This is the only true church ...This is not a church. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. There are churches of men all over the land and they have great cathedrals, synagogues, and other houses of worship running into the hundreds of millions of dollars. They are churches of men. They teach the doctrines of men, combined with the philosophies and ethics and other ideas and ideals that men have partly developed and partly found in sacred places and interpreted for themselves" (Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.421)

"[H]e that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ" (Brigham Young , Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312)

"Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 10:230) (Emphasis added)

"Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing less than the 'whore of Babylon' whom the Lord denounces by the mouth of John the Revelator as having corrupted all the earth by their fornications and wickedness. Any person who shall be so corrupt as to receive a holy ordinance of the Gospel from the ministers of any of these apostate churches will be sent down to hell with them, unless they repent" (Orson Pratt, The Seer, p. 255) (Emphasis added)

With declarations such as these from the Mormon Church and Mormon Leadership, should we then refer to Mormons as "Anti-Christians"?

As someone who lived in Utah, you will get this.

Last year, we were driving through Utah and like I always do when I’m in Utah, I was wearing a big cross and a Christian T-shirt (I tend to scream I’m not LDS with my clothing). Hubby is dressed more ‘normal’ for there. White western shirt, undershirt and jeans (which happened to be torn at and right above the knee).

We are at a Flying J truck stop south of Provo, I go in and go to the bathroom while he is getting gasoline. As I am coming out, a woman is walking in and sees my cross and shirt and turned as I walked past giving me a dirty look. It happens so I didn’t think much about it. I go to find hubby and as he is walking up to the front the clerk looks at him, looks at me then leans over the counter to look at hubby’s jeans. She was doing a ‘garment check’!

My poor husband (never Mormon btw and a wonderful Christian man), that was the first time he had ever noticed someone doing a garment check on him. We head back to the car and he is just aghast at what happened. The clerk saw his undershirt, saw my cross and shirt and was trying to figure out if he was LDS.

And you are right, apostates can have a rough time in Utah. I use our trips through there (about 2 a year) as an opportunity to witness and I love the looks on their faces when I tell them I used to live in Provo and go to BYU.

I would say that most of the confessed “Christians” don’t act very Christ like.

I just HATE when that happens!

Matthew 15:16
   "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.

Matthew 23

1. Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2. "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5. "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
6. they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;
7. they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them `Rabbi.'
8. "But you are not to be called `Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.
9. And do not call anyone on earth `father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10. Nor are you to be called `teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
11. The greatest among you will be your servant.
12. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15.   "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
16. "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
17. You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18. You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.'
19. You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20. Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
22. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
23. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
24. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
28. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous.
30. And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
31. So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!
33. "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
34. Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
35. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
37. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
38. Look, your house is left to you desolate.
39. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "

Mark 7:26-27
26. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

And St. Paul chimes in...

Galatians 5:12
   As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

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