I struggle with this, too, because the claim that Mormons are not Christian is not completely accurate.
Here's how I look at it.
If you believe that man's sinful nature demands/requires a Savior, and that Jesus Christ is that Savior, then you are a Christian (yes, I am simplifying the definition).
If you believe in Jesus Christ as defined by the creeds of traditional Christians, then you are a (orthodox) Christian (again, over-simplifying the definition).
The problem is that both categories go by the short-hand “Christian.”
It is clear that Mormons believe the first (that a Savior is necessary, and that Jesus Christ performs that role).
It is also clear that Mormons are not the second. Mormons do not adhere to the traditional definitions of (orthodox) Christianity, especially in the nature of the Trinity and the exclusive nature of the cross (since Mormons believe in distinct entities for three Gods, and that the sacrifice or atonement happen in both the garden and on the cross).
The example you use of the FLDS is a decent one. A “Mormon” is one who claims the Book of Mormon is scripture, revealed from God. A (orthodox) “Mormon” is one who follows the teachings of the Salt Lake “subset” of Mormonism. Again, the same label is used for both, causing confusion.
I have no problem with the FLDS or any other “splinter group” saying that they are Mormons. It is a decent shorthand to say that they are a subset of Mormonism. But they clearly are not part of the Salt Lake (or Brighamite?) splinter, and calling them Mormon confuses those that think “Mormom” and “Mormon” are the same thing. So I also understand the Salt Lake church's clarification.
Just like calling Mormons “Christian” confuses those that think “Christian” and “Christian” are the same thing. And I understand why the second “Christian” clarifies that Mormons do not believe in the traditional Christ (because it is true - they do not).
Which is why I use the “orthodox Christian” label to show the difference.
As for the changing focus, I think it is in reaction to the “Mormons are not Christian” claims. Mormons have said all along that they are not traditional Christians, that they did not come from a division of the current Christian church, and that the current Christian church did not have the full blessing of God (in as much as Mormons teach that the priesthood authority was lost in an apostasy).
But Mormons have always professed the need for a Savior, and therefore they have been “Christian” all along. But they never have been (orthodox) Christians, and probably could not become such and stay Mormon, regardless of any new revelation, because the differences are key components of the Mormon faith.
So, Mormons will continue to claim that they are (the first type) Christian, and correctly so. And (the second type) Christians will continue to claim that Mormons are not (the second type) Christian, and correctly so.
My experience in these threads is that we rarely get past this “I am - no you are not” stage, and therefore seldom discuss our actual differences.
Let me make this easy for you.
It boils down to the Person, Nature and Work of Christ Mormonism uses extra biblical sources to define Jesus as a created being who is a brother to satan as well as to us ontologically. It teaches from extra-biblical sources that there are a plethura of gods inhabiting the universe - each as a god over their own planet. It claims that Jesus is just another one of these 'gods'. Mormonism teaches that Christ's death was only sufficient to allow for a general resurrection of humanity. But to reach the highest heaven (once again relying on extra-biblical sources) man must do specified works, ordinances and actions in order to score enough points to become a god.
The Jesus of Christianity is the eternal uncreated creator, who created satan and his angels as well as created humans. We in no fashion are ontologically related to Him. The Jesus of Christianity is the Second Person of the Trinity - 3 Persons, 1 God - and is NOT polytheistic as taught in Isaiah. Jesus' death on the cross was completely sufficient for ALL my sin and his grace in giving me that full eternal life is not dependent upon any works that I could do - but is a complete gift to me.
Jesus cannot be both things at once - they are exclusive of each other. Look to your definitions TP, even your own prophet is on record stating that the Jesus of mormonism is DIFFERENT from the Jesus of Christianity.
Which is why I use the “orthodox Christian” label to show the difference.
And the use of orthodox is "having the right opinion", from orthos ("right", "true", "straight") + doxa ("opinion" or "praise", related to dokein, "to think"). Which means mormonism is not 'right'
I simply do not accept this. Again, this is allowing mormons to define Christianity by our silence on the matter.
It was good enough for mormons for a century and one-half to NOT be ANY kind of Christian. Dressing the matter up in satin and lace doesn't change the theology or the goal of mormonism.
The goal is that every soul living OR dead is to be converted to mormonism and to overwhelm Christianity with Joseph Smith's sect.
There is nothing about that goal that is accepting of Christianity that was established by Jesus Christ. Nothing. Because mormonism claims that the Christianity of Jesus Christ was erased and replaced by the theology of Joseph Smith.
Every Christian should keep this in mind.
The powerful missionary spirit and the vigorous missionary activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints becomes a very significant witness that the true gospel and that the authority are possessed here in the Church. We accept the responsibility to preach the gospel to every person on earth. And if the question is asked, “You mean you are out to convert the entire world?” the answer is, “Yes. We will try to reach every living soul.”
Boyd K. Packer-The Redemption of the Dead
And also, keep this in mind: "Packer has been an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve since 1970 and a general authority of the church since 1961. Currently, he is the second most senior apostle among the ranks of the church."
“Mormons have said all along that they are not traditional Christians, “
Mormonism isn’t any kind of Christianity! Without the Biblical Christ who was GOD, there is no Christianity and no salvation.
Mormonism has a jesus that was created as a spirit child of a man who became a mormon god. The death of a created being could never pay the price for anyone’s sin except his own - hence, he could secure salvation for none, including himself.
This isn’t close to Christianity. Not even in the same galaxy. It is a weak, pitiful, man-made substitute that can neither save, nor offer eternal hope. It denies the Gospel of Grace and the INCREDIBLE sacrifice of the REAL Jesus Christ that was neither created nor made, but always existed as God.
ampu
Mormons think they can save themselves by doing temple works, being baptised, etc, etc.
They think their (counterfeit) Jesus just opened a door to make it possible for them to do so.
And yet these HYPOCRITS, these MORMONs, will NOT give the Flds folks the time of DAY; let ALONG acknowledge that THEY are the TRUE MORMONs; following D&C 132 while the SLC bunch were AFRAID of the US Government and decided to DISOBEY god and follow MAN's laws!
A repeat of what I posted on another thread yesterday: Jesus warned false Messiahs would be presented (Matthew 24). And you know Jesus can be treated as Gumby, twisted out of shape so that He is no longer recognizable.
The "Jesus" of the Marharishi of TM is a Jesus who never suffered.
The "Jesus" of Guru Maharaj Ji supposedly merged with Krishna, Ram and Buddha.
The only difference between the Moonie "jesus" and the rest of us, says, Sun Myung Moon, is that Jesus had no original sin nature.
The "Jesus" of Christian Science think of themselves as "Christian," yet they don't believe Jesus is God.
The "Jesus" of the Jehovah's Witnesses is not Almighty and is "a god," but not "THE" God; nor did He bodily resurrect.
The "Jesus" of many gnostics would in no way incarnate a human body -- because that to them would be too "corrupt" of a thing to do.
The "Jesus" of Brigham Young is one redeemer-savior among who knows how many? "He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. On every earth. How many earths are there?...Consequently every earth has its redeemer..." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 14, p. 71, 1870) [Tell us, Reno, what makes Brigham's "jesus" so universally unique?]
The "Jesus" of Mormonism is a pre-existent spirit-creature; a son of a God-man whose next-in-line brother is "Lucifer/Satan" -- a "Jesus" who had to work out his own salvation; and whose blood didn't cover all of our personal sins (thereby rendering him as an incomplete, inadequate "savior").
Tell, us, T.P. How can all these "Jesuses" be the same One? How can we have...
...a Jesus who suffers & a TM "Jesus" who doesn't?
...a Jesus who resurrects bodily & a JW "Jesus" who doesn't?
...a Jesus who transcends us in every way & a Moonie "Jesus" who only transcends us sin-wise?
...a Jesus who is united with the Father & the Spirit vs. a Hindu offshoot/New Age "Jesus" who merges as part of a divine flame or divine ocean?
...THE fully-God, fully-man incarnant son of God vs. a less-than-human embodied gnostic "Jesus"?
...a Jesus who is THE Savior vs. a Mormon "Jesus" who competes with ALL kinds of "saviors" on other planets (per Brigham) & ALL kinds of "saviors" on THIS planet (per Lds "prophet" John Taylor's description of Baptism of the dead "saviors")??
...a Jesus who is THE Creator vs. a Mormon "Jesus," a mere spirit-creature?
...a Jesus who is THE Savior vs. a Mormon "Jesus" who is touted by Lds leaders as a "saved being?"
...a Jesus who created Lucifer (Col. 1:16-17) vs. a Mormon "Jesus" who "lucked out" on being ahead of Lucifer spirit-birth assembly line, only because of spirit-birth order???
...a Jesus who died BOTH for our sin nature AND ALL of our personal sins vs. a Mormon "Jesus" who didn't?
By your categorization, T.P., we'd have to define JWs, Christian Science, Moonies, New Age adherents, & all the rest as "Christians," too! And all of this from Lds adherents who have trouble even accepting the fLDS as "Mormon?"
(Good luck with sorting out who is the real Jesus is then with such a one-world religion!)
Needing a Savior and not having one makes you lost not Christian.
That's not to say there aren't saved (i.e., Christian Mormons. If you have been paying as much attention in these threads as you say, then you will have noticed a nuance - Mormonism is not Christianity.
FWIW, just being Lutheran (or whatever) doesn't make you Christian, conversion is a heart matter.
The Mormon gospel, being anti-Christian, leads truth seekers astray.