Posted on 06/10/2012 9:38:54 AM PDT by Colofornian
TORRANCE, Calif., June 7, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- There are more than a dozen key differences in the beliefs of Christians and Mormons, yet most Christians have no idea.
In a recent article in the Christian magazine, World, author Joel Belz made this statement:
"A huge majority of the American public has no idea what Mormons claim to believe. If those holding to the Mormon faith were to place their distinctive truth claims front and center, the public response would be probing, negative, and nasty." -- World Magazine, God's World Publications, online June 16, 2012 edition (Vol. 27, No. 12)
For starters, official Mormon teachings include the belief that God the Father was once a man who progressed to godhood and that worthy men may one day become gods themselves.
On the topic of Jesus, official Mormon doctrine holds that Jesus' death on the cross did not provide full atonement for all sin. There is no concept of the Trinity. Rather, Mormonism is polytheistic, having multiple gods.
Everyone -- whether you are religious or just curious -- should know the differences. A free side-by-side comparison chart showing differences between Mormonism and Christianity is available as a free download for your computer or iPad. It can be printed for personal or group use. This objective chart simple compares the beliefs of Mormonism and Christianity in eight key areas.
Go to: www.rose-publishing.com/Assets/ClientPages/mormon_landing.aspx to download the free comparison chart.
Rose Publishing is a Christian publishing company that specializes in comparison charts of religious groups and church denominations that help Christians understand biblical basics. The company takes no political stance.
I can give you sources by LDS leaders that show my point.
Like the one thrown at Perry that had a certain WORD on it?
Speaking of POORLY written...
After all; it is a bit vague...
Unless this thread is political (and at least some are saying it is NOT political) why is this topic being raised, and being raised now? I am a Christian (not Mormon), and I recognize that there are many whose faith differs from my own. Unless we are trying to convert them, what does it matter what Mormons believe? I am United Methodist, and there are differences between what I believe and what Southern Baptists, for example, believe. I might try to convince them to believe as I do, but ultimately, isn’t it a matter of faith? Can we really argue another’s faith in any rational way? Isn’t there something inherent about the nature of faith that makes this difficult?
I think the sarc tag fell off...
The MORMONs seem tro have this 'problem', too!
How do members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints feel about calling the members of its various spin-off sects Latter-Day Saints, Christians, or Mormons? Or about those sects calling themselves Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? (There was an earlier campaign by LDS to have journalism style books use the word Mormon to refer only to LDS, and not RLDS, FLDS, or other LDS sects).
For a man who bragged about holding things together, Joseph Smith, Jr. doesnt appear go have done a good job of it during his lifetime. Wycam Clarks Pure Church of Christ spun off in 1831. This trend continued. There were six LDS sects spawned in the 1830s, eight in the 1840s, two in the 1850s, and seven in the 1860s.
Do those responsible for the Mormons are Christians campaign consider these denominations to be Mormons or Latter-Day Saints? Surely many of these denominations are much closer to mainstream LDS than LDS is to Christianity. Many stick to Smiths teachings and old temple endowment ceremonies.
Short Creek Community
Latter Day Church of Christ
Apostolic United Brethren
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness [sic] of Times
Church of the Lamb of God
Church of the New Covenant in Christ
Confederate Nations of Israel
Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
School of the Prophets
Centennial Park
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Kingdom of God
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days
The Church of the Firstborn and the General Assembly of HeavenBlackmore/Bountiful Community
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ
Order of Enoch
Aaronic Order
Zions Order, Inc.
Perfected Church of Jesus Christ of Immaculate Latter-day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ (Bullaite)
Community of Christ
Church of Jesus Christ (Toneyite)
Independent RLDS / Restoration Branches
Church of Jesus Christ Restored 1830
Church of Christ (Lion of God Ministry/Clarkite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Zions Branch)
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Fettingite) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ at Halleys Bluff (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Restored) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ With the Elijah Message (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Hancock) (Hedrickite)
Church of Christ (Burtite) (Hendrickite)
Church of Israel (Hendrickite)
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message (The Assured Way of the Lord) (Hendrickite)
The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
True Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Restored Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Holy Church of Jesus Christ (Strangite)
Church of Jesus Christ (Drewite) (Strangite)
True Church of Jesus Christ Restored (Strangite)
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Whitmerite)
Or these defunct sects:
Pure Church of Christ (Clarkite)
Independent Church (Hotonite)
Church of Christ (Boothite)
Church of Christ (Parrishite)
Alston Church
Church of Christ (Chubbyite)
Church of Jesus Christ, the Bride, the Lambs Wife
Church of Christ (Pageite)
True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (this one was particularly curious - started by William Law, editor of The Nauvoo Expositor, just one of many sects started in opposition to plural marriage)
The Church of Zion (Godbeite)
United Order Family of Christ
Church of the Potter Christ
Church of the Firstborn (Morrisite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gibsonite)
Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Most High
Church of the Christian Brotherhood
Church of Jesus Christ of the Children of Zion (Rigdonite) Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Primative Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Christ (Aaron Smith)
Church of the Messiah (Adamsite)
Church of Christ (Wrightite)
Church of Christ (Whitmerite)
Church of Christ (Brewsterite)
The Bride, the Lambs Wife
Congregation of Jehovahs Presbytery of Zion
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Gladdenite)
Independent Latter Day Saints of Nigeria
Independent Latter Day Saints of Ghana
Apostolic Divine Church of Ghana
Are members of those LDS groups Mormons? Latter Day Saints? Christians?
Do the folks in Salt Lake City have a problem with any of those groups, who believe in the restoration of the original church by Joseph Smith, calling themselves Mormons or Saints?
Most of these divisions in the Latter-Day Saint movement occurred over the issue of polygamy or succession of the Prophet. Sects broke off when Joseph Smith was still alive, and when Brigham Young was named prophet, because they didnt believe in the practice of plural marriage either publicly, or in some cases when it was practiced in private and denied in public.
Of course, there was the great split between Rocky Mountain Saints and Prairie Saints, when LDS members couldnt agree on a successor prophet to Smith, Jr., and the church went to Utah, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania under Brigham Young, Sidney Rigdon (senior member of the First Presidency), James Strang, Lyman Wight, Alpheus Cutler, William Smith, David Whitmer (a BOM witness), or Joseph Smith III (son of Joseph Smith, Jr.). Almost all of these individuals still has multiple sects in existence that date to an 1844 decision about who should be the next President/Prophet of the church.
The Prairie Saints split into sects over the issue of whether Smith practiced polygamy. Rocky Mountain Saints had many, many spinoff sects after the 1890 Manifesto groups that still practice plural marriage.
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Thanks to ScoutMaster for all the hard work here!
JESUS: Hey Smith! Remember that boast you made about doing more than even I had done to hold the 'church' together?
JOSEPH SMITH: Where am I?
JESUS: Don't you remember? A few seconds ago you were in that jail.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah; but where am I NOW?
JESUS: Don't you remember? Does bang - bang ring a bell?
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh; yeah - that crummy gun I had was about USELESS!
JESUS: I hope you left instructions on how to hold your church together.
JOSEPH SMITH: Dang! I knew there was SOMETHING I was forgetting!
JESUS: Looks like there's a power struggle going on down there.
JOSEPH SMITH: Yeah; there was always SOMEone who wanted the power that I held - especially over the LADIES - wink wink.
JESUS: No need to worry about that now; remember what my friend Matthew wrote down?
JOSEPH SMITH: This? At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30)
JESUS: That's it.
JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.
JESUS: Nah - it was right.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh well; it was fun while it lasted. My buds will still get it on with the girls.
JESUS: Uh; I'm sorry; in just a few more years; your followers will cavein to the United States government and abandon the 'Eternal Covenant' that you came up with.
JOSEPH SMITH: ME!? YOU are the one that told me to do that!
JESUS: Sorry; but you must have mistranslated what I told you. What part of Do NOT commit ADULTERY did you not understand?
JOSEPH SMITH: mumble....
JESUS: What did you say?
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, nothing.
JESUS: Well; it was interesting talking to you; but now I must get back to perparing a place for those who believe in Me.
JOSEPH SMITH: Oh, yeah; the Celestial Kingdom.
JESUS: No...
JOSEPH SMITH: The Telestial one?
JESUS: Nope.
JOSEPH SMITH: SUREly not the TERRESTRIAL one!!
JESUS: Nope. Didn't you read that the mind of man had NOT conceived of it? Paul wrote it down in 1 Corinthians 2:9.
JOSEPH SMITH: I thought that was mistranslated.
JESUS: No; it wasn't.
JOSEPH SMITH: You SURE?
JESUS: Yes. Now I must be going: what did you say your name was again?
JOSEPH SMITH: Joseph Smith.
JESUS: Hmmmm. According to my Heavenly FAITHbook, you didn't sign in as one of my friends - sorry, I never knew you.
JOSEPH SMITH: But....
Since you started this thread, and Freeper ‘Elsie’ has posted about half of the 150 or so comments, I thought you two would be the best people to ask this question.
Since it’s clear you will not vote for Romney, who will you vote for? Or will you choose not to vote at all?
FYI - here’s a link I found containing what I believe is the best selection of all political parties who will be seeking the Presidency. Is there anyone here you plan to vote for?
http://www.politics1.com/p2012.htm
Sam, if you'd at least listen to other's experiences -- also from 'Vegas -- you'd hear their "bearing witness" as well.
I consider Mormonism a cult, as weird and whacko as the Church of Scientology. But I lived and worked in Las Vegas for many years (non-casino jobs) and have been a conservative my whole life and though I never had any friends who I would call close friends who are Mormon, I did have many Mormon friends, acquaintances and co-workers. And seriously, they always were on the up-and-up with me, always worked hard at their jobs, always seemed like good family people, always talked as if they were conservative voters, none of them were on welfare (that I knew of) and none of them ever tried to convert a Christian to their religion (that I saw). So though I agree that the doctrine of Mormonism is beyond bizarre, and certainly not Christian, I have to judge the people of Mormonism from my experience and in my experience they are (on the whole) a bunch of good folks.
Well, who was I referencing 'bout "bearing witness" to Mormonism, 'Vegas-style? Consider the "testimony" of Freeper Daxton Brown:
A Freeper commented last year: [Except for Dingy Harry,I know no evil Mormon.]
Daxton's response: Well come on down to Mormon Vegas and I will introduce you to a bunch. In the power circles they run just as dirty as anyone here. People just get tricked by the Mormon next door whos only quirk is a garage full of groceries. The power boys use the Bishopries and insider games to pound Gentiles.
Source: Can a Mormon be president? Two opposing views [post #26] (July 2, 2011)
I'm sure Daxton can fill you in on a LOT more!
I’m not doubting that. I didn’t run in the “power circles” so I just didn’t know those people. And of course a lot of Reid’s support comes from Mormons, and you don’t get much worse than Reid.
I was just sharing my experience, the people I knew. I live in the NY area now and I can tell you it’s much harder to find conservatives here than in the Nevada of my earlier days, and that includes Mormon Nevada.
Also, it’s a matter of public record that Utah has a more conservative voting history than, say, New Jersey.
And the once-red state of Nevada wasn’t turned blue by an influx of Mormons, but of Easterners and Mexicans.
It's important to vote...tho the lack of passion 'bout Romney & Obama will keep the turnout lower, IMO.
I believe the "ABO" crowd -- if they were truly serious about not using "ABO" as just a euphemism for pro-Romney -- should seriously consider two worthy "ABO" candidates...Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party and FREEPER Tom Hoefling (aka "EternalVigilance").
I've been leaning toward Goode -- a former rep from the state of Virginia; but Tom's a great guy as well.
Now why should FREEPERS consider voting for Goode or Hoefling?
(1) FReepers living in liberal states like the Left Coast (WA, OR, CA); or NY/NJ; or MD & even some of New England...should know that voting for Romney won't help him win in those states. Obama will win, anyway.
(2) FREEPERs living in the South and some Midwestern states should know that even if we subtracted ALL FREEPER votes for Romney, Romney will still win those states. There's just no way Obama will pick up those states. That should also then release FREEPERs in those states to actually place a vote that will make a difference.
How will that make a difference? Well, if conservatives in liberal states would abandon Romney in droves, that'd send a message to the GoP-E. And if conservative FREEPERS in conservative states would keep from abandoning principle, that'd send a message to our God that at least He has a remnant to rebuild upon.
We have to keep in mind that it would have been unthinkable not that long ago that we would have well over 90% of American voters voting for a liberal.
I think that in and of itself sends a direct message to God that yes, America is overripe for judgment.
And there we have it, mormonism is a cult but they are such nice people.
place marker
It does appear that the topic of MormonISM is being used as a vehicle to attack Mitt Romney. We warned that this would happen when Mitt lept into the primaries, that the vermin in DNC sycophantic media would crucify Milt over his weird religious beliefs because it is too tempting to ignore for the 'do anything to hold onto power DNC.
Sadly, that work appears to be leaping out from Freerepublic religion forum; instead of being focused upon exposing the heresies in Mormonism, we see in the religion forum threads which appear to expose MormonISM only to be strategically shifted to attack Romney for his religious beliefs.
If there are aspects about modern Mormonism which reveal it is treacherous to The Republic, then I could understand the linkages. If Milt was a mooselimb we would be posting about the haditha and the treachery mooselimbs are instructed to use toward all who are not followers of the lesser moon goddess who was at the beginnings of that religion, and the instructions to lie, steal, cheat, and murder those who are opposed to Islamic dictates.
But I have yet to find such aspects (other than lying for the Lord taught to the missionaries, which is treacherous to your soul but not the Republic/nation) in modern MormonISM or Mormons, so it strikes me as 'counter productive' in the work to expose the heresies at the heart of the ISM, to attack Mitt the sleazy liberal(and he is don'tchaknow) as a significant part of religion forum threads.
If Romney is successful in ousting the commie running the federal thugocracy, we Inmans will have four years of near over exposure to reveal the blasphemies in MormonISM and perhaps persuade individuals caught up in that cult that they are being duped, just the way Milt will try to dupe the nation with his brand of liberalism.
And don't dare call attention to that appearance because you will be vilified, alinskyed personally (fix the target by speciously defining it, freeze it, then attack it), for 'compartmentalizing your religious beliefs'. Well, that's a generic "you", I doubt Elsie would be vilified since you have such affection for goats.
Living here in PA, I have a feeling it will be close on Election Day.
I hate the idea of having to vote for Romney. And I've been dreading the day that I get put in that position.
I usually vote first thing in the morning, but I think I will wait until the very end of the day to go to the polls.
That way, if it's not close one way or the other, I won't be forced to vote against Obama by voting for Romney.
But considering the choices, it looks like that's all my vote will be this year - a vote against Obama. Very discouraging.
Sam...you need to understand that I myself am a descendent from a polygamist Mormon leader...and have MANY relatives/extended relatives who are Lds. I love them. I would have high opinions of what they make do with stewardship-wise of their life -- if only that would actually glorify the true God!
(Glorifying ourselves and glorifying false gods simply robs God of that glory)
Sam, perhaps you've read my common response to those sharing about their good experiences with Mormons: If you were auditioning for godhood, you, too, would be on your best outward behavior!
Early in the book of Matthew, Jesus complimented the outward behavior of the Pharisees; yet in Matthew 23...he described them inwardly as whitewashed sepulcres -- graveyards.
Also, its a matter of public record that Utah has a more conservative voting history than, say, New Jersey.
If you want the details I could give them to you: Utah has an extremely high rate for financial fraud -- and has so for decades; the foreclosure rate is in the Top five; it has a high rate for depression and suicide; the sex offender rate in Utah is in the Top 20, and the educator-as-sex-abuser in Utah is much higher than that; its porn access rate is tops.
None of us has raving reviews of our "internal" life; yet what you see on the outside is not even remotely close to what is rotting on the inside in Utah.
That talking will go by the wayside in November when America's mormons vote lock step for Romney.
I wonder, are there enough lock step mormon voters to counter the lock step black voters? Neither group will be voting for the good of the country, but because of the shared demographics.
Thanks, Ma'am; but we trash CHRISTIANS!
I guess you will be voting for a DECEIVED mormon??
Or perhaps a DECEIVING one???
As far as Mitt and the candidacy I feel no more secure about mitt than I do Obama really, at least on domestic matters. In fact with Republican majority at least Obama would be land locked. Mitt wants many of the same things despite his new found Conservative staance. In 19 months after being sworn in I have a feeling I will get a really good I told you so moment as Romneycare and other items are passed by a Republican congress not wanting to go against a sitting Republican president and Democrats glad to have their plans in acted if under a different label.
We are screwed one way or the other as things stand now.
I can not support Obama nor actively support Romney.
I will figure out what that means when the time comes.
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