Posted on 04/17/2012 9:55:18 AM PDT by Colofornian
I’d end this article here, because that is your answer, should anyone ever ask you. And with the presidential election on the horizon, it is more than likely that Mormonism and Christianity might come up in conversation.
Already the high-profile Christian leaders are being asked about it. Saddleback Church’s Rick Warren sort of answered it by saying that Mormons don’t believe in a trinity as we do, calling it a “sticking point.” And Christian apologist Ed Stetzer completely muffed it recently by asking the question and then dancing completely around it without giving the answer we all so desperately need to hear.
The Truth.
The Truth has become increasingly muddy for Christendom because many evangelicals and almost ALL Mormons believe that Mormons must be Christian, because they say they believe in and love Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
But the real truth is that Mormonism preaches a different “jesus;” a different “gospel” and a different “truth.” So the answer we need to hear is that Mormonism and biblical Christianity cannot be squared; they are completely different faiths.
If that sounds mean-spirited, it is not. It is a neutral, biblically-based, factual statement. But mean-spirited is most assuredly how this Truth will be portrayed in the months ahead in the national conversation.
This Truth will divide. and if you believe it, then you will be accused of judging other people’s hearts. You will be in excellent company. Look at the approach the Apostle Paul took when he wrote to the early Church in Galations 1:6-9
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
When you put a face on Mormonism or any other faith, whether it’s a presidential candidate, a news talk show pundit or that nice, intelligent, funny, lovely person you work with or live near, it is hard to think of these people as accursed. Yet isn’t that what we all are, young and old, apart from the genuine, biblical Jesus?
also...
This idea of the infallibility of the Pope is ludicrous. Even Catholicism’s “first Pope” Peter denied Christ 3 times!
- They slaughtered hundreds of thousands of people (see the Aztecs and Muslims) in the name of the Church
- For a long time, they discouraged people from reading the Bible at all. They don’t recognize that the Holy Spirit (which they allege to believe in) gives us understanding of scripture.
I could go ooooon and ooooon about this.
My point is that (in my opinion at least) none of the candidates practice true Christianity.
Mormon 1830 Joseph Smith New York
New York huh, it figures!
Many people confuse the word infallability with the word impeccable.
The Pope is human, he is not sinless, thus infallibility is not a characteristic of the pope’s personal conduct or his private views.
But on pronouncements of faith and morals with the Magisterium of the Church, he is infallible.
“Even when Vatican I (1869-1870) defined papal infallibility, it did so in terms of the Church. Vatican I stated that when the pope defines a dogma of faith (often described as speaking “ex cathedra”—from the chair), he is gifted by the Holy Spirit with that infallibility with which God wished the Church to be endowed in defining a doctrine of faith or morals.”
Sorry, I hijacked the thread. Additional comments about Catholicism need to be sent to me in FReepmail.
Now back to the title of this thread. Are Mormons Christians?
The answer is an emphatic “NO.”
And we, as Christians, are a "kingdom of priests" and are "saints", without need of an advocate, save for one, Christ Jesus himself, who makes daily intercession for His chosen. I need no man as mediator, as the Jews did, since the blood of bulls and goats merely covered the sin, but not removed it. But Christ, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, ... For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Moreover, the entire arc of the OT and NT are of a perfect, unified story of how we come to find God. And how He came to find us. To pretend that it was somehow “lost” after our own liberty as humans was founded on its abiding principles [truth] is to set oneself up on shifting sands
I think what I bold-faced above is the "better version" of what you wrote -- How he came to find us ... especially how God in Christ...vs. how we "find God." After all, if 'twas left up to us to merely try to find & fathom God, who could do it?
Not sure what you're referencing as "lost"...Because indeed, the Bible presents man-upon-natural birth as spiritually in bondage; spiritually dead; in sin; subject to darkness, death & the devil. Those are hardly "neutral" spiritually enlightened conditions to begin a "trek" toward God.
In turn, my own Christian faith is based on no leap into the darkness of doubt, no transitory feeling or warmth, but IT is a light of wisdom that shines brighter and brighter the more I question, investigate, and demand that the Truth be more worthy and higher than myself. I seek to let IT conform me to all things that are true.
I don't know you...I may be off-base in this assessment...but having read many others' comments about their "spirituality" makes me ask you: do you have any New Age tinges in your "faith?"
Why do I ask? Because those who integrate some New Age leanings into their spirituality tend toward the impersonal in describing their relationship with divinity. And, in this graph, you twice reference an impersonal "it" -- first in reference to your "faith" -- and then to "wisdom/Truth."
Our Lord Jesus has shown that Truth is Personal...a Living Person. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," says Jesus. (John 14:6). Likewise, if I was to ask about your trust relationship with your spouse or key other person in your life, would you describe the relationship as an "it?" (I think of a trust relationship as deeply more personal than that).
Conversely I know that if salvation is merely deemed to be “correct thinking” about God, then who will arbitrate such thought?
Good reminder. There is such a thing as "dead orthodoxy."
But that gets back to my previous graph...that Jesus defined eternal life as follows: 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3)
Notice ALL key components here: An intimate relationship ("knowing" -- going beyond dead orthodoxy); it also includes not only knowing Jesus...but knowing "the ONLY true God."
In the context of your comments, knowing "any ole god" won't do...You may have given a nice counterbalance to relying only upon dead orthodoxy, but knowing any ole god won't do, either. You may think you might have a "wonderful" online relationship with someone you've never met face to face, but if that person has either misrepresented themself -- or if others have done that on his/her behalf -- you don't really know that true person, do you.
People can be counterfeited...
...$ can...
...Goods can...services...products...currency...
However much the temptation exists to downgrade "correct thinking about God," the opposite error is to neglect the sad reality of counterfeit spirituality...counterfeit knowledge...counterfeit relationships...counterfeit presentations about who the "only true God is.
In the context of this thread, there is really no way Mormons can properly honor Jesus' words in John 17:3. Why? Because Lds theology doesn't teach that there's "only ONE TRUE God."
They teach many!!! God the Father had a father & a grandfather. A "council of Gods" appointed him to become a god. This god had a wife or wives...apparently also divine. Mormons deem their "jesus" and their "holy ghost" as separate gods. And then they teach that males can become gods & add to the great god count.
Such theology makes a mockery of many straightforward statements by Jesus and by writers of the Bible.
Something for you to research: How many thousands did the Aztecs kill in order for the sun to come up every morning? From the dawn of their existence until its merciful, albeit bloody, demise, how many, do you think? Cortez said the streets ran deep with blood on Aztec high holy days. Christians were appalled at the brutality, bestiality, perversity of the Aztecs toward their own people, children, women.
Then there are a lot of mainline denominations that would also not be considered Christian.
The Mormons say the Gospels were “lost,” not me.
Moreover, I don’t give one fine damn what you think about my faith.
Defend the faith, but never forget that Mormons, being bereft of the Living Water, might be thirsty. Your ten-ton truck of Truth can’t make it across your 1/4-inch plywood bridge of Love. Let Love be your highest aim.
And I am ashamed to have wasted my effort on such a foolish thread.
Excuse me? I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior, that he died on the cross and was resurrected 3 days later. He dies for my sins, for all sins committed by those who lived and live on this earth. And I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At the judgement day Christ will look upon my heart and see how I followed Him and his words and teachings. That is what it all comes down to for everyone.
Oh, so now you are the judge of who will be in heaven?
You’re right, of course. If it ain’t in the Bible (and I read the King James version) it ain’t of God. You can have your version and your extra books and all that hoodoo. help yourself!
No my Heavenly Father and the Creator of EVERYTHING will be. And if YOU have not accepted his gift of his son and accested him as your saviour YOU will NOT be in Heaven.
you could easily reverse the Catholic and the Orthodox chuch. Given the history that is too long to go into here.
That said.
is there a problem with the “mormonistas”?
is there a utah liberation organization?
are there mormons beheading nyt reporters?
is tom cruise a member?
It’s an open secret Navy Vet is trying to share with you. Jesus made it clear that He is the door, He is the way. Joseph Smith will not be a ‘co judge’ as your LDS inc leadership has tried to assert. In fact, given Joe Smith’s heresies and blasphemies toward The Jesus, I’d say Joe will not even know of Heaven from his place of torment. You don’t want to go where Joe Smith is.
I am aware of the bloody history of the Aztecs. Does that mean they deserved genocide in the name of the Catholic Church?
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