There are many short replies on this thread, but replying to this particular comment requires some thought. Please bear with me.
You’ve taken the middle ground that Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, Mennonites, and “on and on and on” (so I’ll assume Methodists and Baptists) are Christians. I’m not a theologian, but I’m certain that virtually nobody is going to agree with that, particularly the Mormons.
The entire premises of the Mormon religion since 1830 is that the Christian church ceased to exist shortly after Christ’s death. Joseph Smith, Jr. restored the Christian church to the earth. All other churches are “an abomination.” “So-called Christians.” “The Whore of Babylon.” No other religions are Christians.
In fact, until 1990, the Temple Endowment Ceremony for Mormons involved a Protestant Minister being paid by Satan to preach Satan’s false gospel. Spencer Palmer and Keith M. Engar played the Minister in the two most recent versions of the movie shown to Mormons in their Temple Ceremony before it was changed.
Any LDS Freeper on this site who is in their early 40s or older knows this is true. I’ll address later why they may not tell you this.
Others may provide you with countless quotes from Joseph Smith, Jr. and Mormon prophets since 1830 saying exactly the same thing: If you’re not a Mormon, you’re not a Christian.
Have you noticed the public relations campaign and the postings by LDS members isn’t “Mormons are Christians, too? It’s “Mormons are Christians.” The part that’s understood by them is: “Mormons are Christians (and you’re not).”
Some will say “well, all churches say they are the one and only, what’s wrong with Mormons saying they are the One True Church.”
Wrong. If a Protestant says that someone can speak directly to God, that’s not saying that a Catholic isn’t a Christian. If a Methodist says that women can be ministers, that’s not saying that Baptists aren’t Christians. I sprinkle, you dunk. We’re both Christians. But that’s not the way Mormons have seen it. Since 1830.
Now, you may hear from some LDS members who say “no, no, no, we consider you a Christian too. At that point, we get into a really touchy area that you should research.
Those who are not LDS refer to it as “Lying for the Lord.” LDS admit it exists and they not only condone it, but their Apostles (notably Dallin H. Oaks) have justified it, and even their primary apologetics site, www.fairlds.og refers to it as “lying,” and justifies it, they just don’t like calling it “Lying for the Lord.”
Remember that Joseph Smith, Jr. lied about polygamy from 1831 until his death. The LDS Church acknowledges this (and many other lies). However the arguments include (a) well, God told him to lie, because God wasn’t ready to tell the rest of the world about polygamy (others would say – well, isn’t that convenient for Joseph Smith when people accused him of illegal polygamy or polyandry, taking other men’s wives as his own), and (b) you would lie to keep your family from being killed, right?, so lying is okay sometimes. Remember that the LDS has many things they consider “sacred.” You would call them “secret.” If you read LDS threads, you’ll find people sarcastically saying “that’s sacred, not secret,” because if you ask a Mormon to tell you about their ‘secret Temple Cremony,” they’ll say “it’s not secret, it’s sacred.” Your secret garmet (underwear)? It’s not secret, it’s sacred. What about the first of the secret handshakes to get into the Celestial Kingdom? That’s not secret, it’s sacred.
So you have some good people who believe they are doing the right thing and protecting their faith by ‘telling you a little white lie,’ to hide things about their faith.
They change the Temple Ceremony. Did you get rid of the slitting of the throat? Ummmmm. Errrrr. No. We … ummm … never … ummm … had a slitting of the throat. Yeah, that’s the ticket. If you want to call it Lying for for the Lord? Yes, it’s done. If you want to call it protecting something that’s sacred (not secret)? Yes, it’s done.
I’ve written about my own experience with “Ask a Mormon” versus what’s in the official LDS education manuals for ages four through eleven, twelve to college, college, couples about to marry, doctrinal pronouncements by the First Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve. If you doubt anything about “Lying for the Lord,” Google it. Read what LDS Apostle Dallin H. Oaks has to say about it. Read what LDS apologists at FAIR have to say about it. Make your own judgment. You should also read extensively on “faith promoting history,” a phrase most closely related to Apostle Boyd K. Packer.
Now, I don’t know if you are a theologian, but I’m not. I can tell you that virtually nobody who actually studies these things considers the Mormons to be Christians. Scholars who study the essence of God and Jesus Christ do not. Christianity is monotheistic, with a triune Godhead, as I understand it. Mormonism is polytheistic. Heck, you’ll become a god yourself one day, with your own planet, if you’re exalted. The nature of Christ and his death on the cross are not the same for Mormons as they are for Christians. You notice Mormons don’t have crosses anywhere? They earn exaltation through their works and following rules, not through Christ’s sacrifice on a cross. And they don’t get into the Celestial Kingdom unless Joseph Smith lets them.
But let’s consider it another way, in Mark 8:27-29:
27And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You aresthe Christ.”
The Christ. That’s who he was to those who followed him. To the people, those who didn’t, he was just ‘one of,’ not ‘the one.’ Mormon doctrines make Jesus “one of” rather than “the One.” According to Mormon leaders, Jesus is not the Christ, the Son of the living God; He is a Christ, a Son of a living God.
”Sin is upon every earth that ever was created … Consequently every earth has its redeemer, and every earth has its tempter; and the people thereof, in their turn and time, receive all that we receive, and pass through all the ordeals that we are passing through” ~ Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 14:71-72.
”Jesus Christ is not the Father of the spirits who have taken or yet shall take bodies upon this earth, for He is one of them. He is The Son, as they are sons or daughters of Elohim…Among the spirit children of Elohim the firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors.” ~ The First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah, 30 June 1916, quoted in the 2002 copy of LDS’s Ensign Magazine on the Official LDS Website.
In 1998, when President/Prophet Gordon B. Hinkely was asked if he believed in the same Jesus as those who were not Mormons believed in he said “No, I don’t. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak.” And he was being truthful. The Mormon Christ is not the Christian Christ.
Do you see a difference between the Christ, the Son of the Living God, which is what Christians believe, and just one of the christs, just one of the sons, of just one of countless living gods, which we’re going to become if we’re exalted, so we can’t have endless physical, celestial sex, producing our own sons and christs and eventual gods?
To me, that’s a major difference. And the reason why nobody except an extremely liberal theologian is ever going to consider a Mormon a Christian. Do you believe in Christ, or a christ? The Son of God, or a son of a god? Are you going to be a god yourself one day, exalted with your own planet, having your own christs of other planets? Welcome to Mormoninity, but not Christianity.
For every quote I wrote about there being multiple gods, and multiple christs, and there being a different christ in the Mormon faith, you'll find that there are others who can cite dozens and dozens of quotes from LDS publications. doctrine, and prophets. You'll notice I cited something as recent as 2002.
I respect their right to believe as they believe. But I respectfully disagree - and suggest you read more and consder before you suggest - that Mormons are Christians
Well done. VERY well done.
excellent post