I have hesitate to weigh in on the Mormonism issue, and I won’t really do it here. I recommend that we all step back from our own beliefs for a moment and understand how we get to where are in terms of religious faith.
My views, briefly stated:
God is God. He made us; we did not make Him.
What I believe, I believe by faith; I cannot prove it, even to myself, except through the eyes of faith.
Everyone else who believes in God is subject to the same limitations as I am.
I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Moses, and I believe in His only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who died for the sins of all who will believe in Him.
My faith in Christ is bolstered by the faith of His Apostles and many who lived with Him, who, in the face of unspeakabel tortures and deaths, clung to their beliefs.
Others do not believe as I do; some do not believe at all. A proper response by those who do not believe as I do is: “I don’t believe as you do.” I may try to persuade them, and they may try to persuade me to change their/my beliefs.
Mormons (and Muslims, as well) truly believe what they believe. As long as they respect my beliefs, or at least do not interfere with my right to live and believe as I do, I can tolerate them also.
... will spend a LOT of effort in DENOUNCING heresy!
Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Romans 16:17
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
1 Corinthians 4:17
For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
1 Corinthians 11:2
2. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.
Ephesians 4:14-15
14. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
2 Thessalonians 3:6
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
1 Timothy 1:3-4
3. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
4. nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith.
1 Timothy 1:7
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
1 Timothy 2:7
And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle--I am telling the truth, I am not lying--and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
1 Timothy 4:1-2
1. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
1 Timothy 4:6
If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
1 Timothy 4:11
Command and teach these things.
1 Timothy 6:3-5
3. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4. he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5. and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
2 Timothy 1:13
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:15-17
15. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
16. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
17. Their teaching will spread like gangrene.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17. so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
3. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
4. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Titus 1:11
They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Titus 2:1
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Titus 2:15
These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.
2 Peter 2:1-3
1. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
2 John 1:10
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.
My thoughts were similar to your until very recently. A friend of our family got very upset (she had been a Mormon for a little while in her youth) Tried to explain to me her fears for our country in a few sentence. I was confused to say the lease.
Since we are studying the numerous Christian faiths in our Sunday school class, I first looked there for answers. Mormon church is not listed in the book of Christians faiths we use.
Started asking questions and discovered Tricia Erickson. The first two chapters of her book are available at Amazon to read. My pastor downloaded it to his Kindle and many have ordered multiple copies.
If the book is read now , Romney will never get the nomination. If we wait and let Axelrod distribute it, Obama will beat Romney hands down.
OH, the books title is: CAN MITT ROMNEY SERVE TWO MASTERS?
Tricia credentials are impeccably. Her relatives are still Mormon. Her father, like Mitt served as Bishop. She is now a Christian, has been on many local radio stations. Her book WILL be a best seller, either now or after Romney gets the nomination.