Tant, that is a very broad interpretation of the passage. Is following Jesus therefore interpreted by you to include all the doctrine of the mormon church, including the three degrees of glory, the "man will become God" theory, the requirement to obey the WOW, the garment thing etc.
I am not a thelogian here, but from a logical point of view, statements that "following Jesus" means all that are part of what Christians deplore.
“Is following Jesus therefore interpreted by you to include all the doctrine of the mormon church...”
It means doing all I can to follow Him according to what I believe He has asked me to do. It means the same thing for you. The difference is that we believe we have been asked to do different things. You believe it’s the Ten Commandments. We add to those the Word of Wisdom, Law of Tithing, and Law of Chastity.
I fail to see how Christians see that as threatening. If you go out and murder someone, breaking the commandment that “Thou shalt not kill,” are you going to get to heaven just because you professed your faith in Jesus? Do you not, as a Christian, have to refrain from adultery if you are to keep the faith? Theft? Lying? Isn’t obeying these laws “works?”
How can Christians “deplore” statements that end up making us into better people? Wouldn’t you prefer a neighbor who doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and is generous with his means?