lazarus0673
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Is mormonism Christianity?
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mormonism
- Thread starter lazarus0673
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No. The LDS preaches a 'Jesus' that is fundamentally different from the NT version, LDS is polythiestic, and there are a host of lessor but important variances from orthodoxy.
lazarus0673
Member
Mike,
I hear that they (mormons) believe that God is not eternal and therefore Jesus is not eternal. Those belief's seem anti-biblical to me yet mormons call themselves Christians. Is this a case of their deity having the same name as the Biblical and eternal Jesus but in fact is someone entirely different?
I hear that they (mormons) believe that God is not eternal and therefore Jesus is not eternal. Those belief's seem anti-biblical to me yet mormons call themselves Christians. Is this a case of their deity having the same name as the Biblical and eternal Jesus but in fact is someone entirely different?
stepmommy2hg
Member
Mormons (LDS) do consider themselves Christian. About 90% of thier beliefs are the same as a Bibical Christian. However, the 10% difference is what I am not interested in. When searching the internet you will receive several different stories on what LDS church believes. (No I am not mormon nor will I ever be) So I have went to thier website and read. I have also read most of the Book of Mormon and have sat and talked with missionaries. This has helped me understand thier beliefs and how they contrast to my beliefs and the bible. It goes back to the old saying don't believe everything you hear, read, and see. Always go to the source themselves (NOTE: please only do this if you are firm in your belief. Remember the devil comes to kill, steal and destroy) I hope this helps. God Bless
Mike
Member
Laz, that's true. Mormons believe Jesus was created. They also believe God once dwelt as a person on another planet (one of a number of gods), that He was lifted up and given Earth to lord over, and that we too can aspire to be gods of our own planets. Mormons are generally uncomfortable with these topics and will not discuss them unless pressed.
The Trinity is a touchy subject, because you have to pry into what they believe, and then you're left with something very different than One God manifested in 3 Persons. My opinionated belief is that they attempt to fit under the Christian banner to the world, but they are very much exclusionary within.
Mormons are incredibly decent people in good standing within society. I can think of very little to be critical of from a citizenship perspective, but they were sold a lie in a new gospel by Joseph Smith in the late 1800's, and they have stood on that doctrine steadfastly. Since the very Nature of God is much different than that of Biblical Christianity, I do not believe they are Christians.
There is much more, but those are the critical points, IMHO.
The Trinity is a touchy subject, because you have to pry into what they believe, and then you're left with something very different than One God manifested in 3 Persons. My opinionated belief is that they attempt to fit under the Christian banner to the world, but they are very much exclusionary within.
Mormons are incredibly decent people in good standing within society. I can think of very little to be critical of from a citizenship perspective, but they were sold a lie in a new gospel by Joseph Smith in the late 1800's, and they have stood on that doctrine steadfastly. Since the very Nature of God is much different than that of Biblical Christianity, I do not believe they are Christians.
There is much more, but those are the critical points, IMHO.
Nathan Alterton
Member
Well put, Mike, I agree with everything you wrote. The Mormon Church is not like most of the various denominations out there that all hold to the same three or four essentials, but disagree on a multitude of secondary and tertiary issues and doctrines. Mormonism disagrees with mainstream Christianity even on those three or four essentials.
That said, I know a lot of Mormons, and many aren't familiar with the teachings that God was once a man and that we can become gods ourselves - many individual Mormons have a very orthodox view of Christ. I think it's pretty clear that there are many within the LDS Church that are genuine followers of Christ. That's not an endorsement of Mormonism, those Mormons who are truly part of the Body of Christ are so in spite of the Church's teachings, not because of them.
Secondly, I wouldn't be too quick to throw out those who have an unbiblical view of who Jesus is either. Having a real relationship with someone does not depend on having no misconceptions about them. Certainly, the disciples were true followers of Christ and were undoubtedly saved long before they understood that He is the Son of God, that He is divine. They had no understanding of the Trinity until well into their own ministries. My children, because they are young, have a lot of misconceptions about what I do, they don't know important facts about my life - they may even have some flat out wrong ideas about me and kind of person I am - but that doesn't mean they don't have a real relationship with me. I do think the same thing applies to followers of Jesus. It is possible to have a real, saving relationship with Him, even if you don't have a great understanding of who He is or if you believe some things about Him that are flat out wrong.
Please, please, please don't misunderstand me on this though, I'm not saying it's a good thing or in any way desirable to have wrong ideas about Jesus, just that it's possible to be saved by Him in spite of some wrong ideas. It's always better to have a right understanding of a person and who and what he is if one is going to have a real relationship with him. Believing wrong things about a person makes it harder to have a real relationship, not impossible. And, of course, we would hope that in time, as the relationship develops, such misconceptions would be corrected. While wrong ideas about the nature of Jesus may not keep one from having a real relationship with Him, they will keep that relationship immature.
That said, I know a lot of Mormons, and many aren't familiar with the teachings that God was once a man and that we can become gods ourselves - many individual Mormons have a very orthodox view of Christ. I think it's pretty clear that there are many within the LDS Church that are genuine followers of Christ. That's not an endorsement of Mormonism, those Mormons who are truly part of the Body of Christ are so in spite of the Church's teachings, not because of them.
Secondly, I wouldn't be too quick to throw out those who have an unbiblical view of who Jesus is either. Having a real relationship with someone does not depend on having no misconceptions about them. Certainly, the disciples were true followers of Christ and were undoubtedly saved long before they understood that He is the Son of God, that He is divine. They had no understanding of the Trinity until well into their own ministries. My children, because they are young, have a lot of misconceptions about what I do, they don't know important facts about my life - they may even have some flat out wrong ideas about me and kind of person I am - but that doesn't mean they don't have a real relationship with me. I do think the same thing applies to followers of Jesus. It is possible to have a real, saving relationship with Him, even if you don't have a great understanding of who He is or if you believe some things about Him that are flat out wrong.
Please, please, please don't misunderstand me on this though, I'm not saying it's a good thing or in any way desirable to have wrong ideas about Jesus, just that it's possible to be saved by Him in spite of some wrong ideas. It's always better to have a right understanding of a person and who and what he is if one is going to have a real relationship with him. Believing wrong things about a person makes it harder to have a real relationship, not impossible. And, of course, we would hope that in time, as the relationship develops, such misconceptions would be corrected. While wrong ideas about the nature of Jesus may not keep one from having a real relationship with Him, they will keep that relationship immature.
ChristianNationalist
Member
I don't have a problem with the "Jesus was created" thing, many early Christians believed the same thing and I consider Unitarians (though not Unitarian Universalists) to be Christians. The part I have a problem with is that God was once a mortal, he's only the god of Earth, and if you're good enough you too can be the god of your very own world. That's way too far off the reservation to be considered Christian.
Drummer4Christ
Member
Why don't you have a problem with Jesus being "created", as opposed to existing eternally with the Father?
ChristianNationalist
Member
Because many different Christian faiths have different views of the trinity and many have been unitarian. Other Mormon beliefs stray much farther from Christianity.
Drummer4Christ
Member
Scripture makes it clear that Jesus is not a created being.
turnorburn
Member
Its SmithChianity
LightWithin
Member
I am Mormon. I am Christian. 
How do you know you're a Christian?I am Mormon. I am Christian.
LightWithin
Member
Well I didn't say I was "a" Christian, although I agree with that, too. I am Christian because I seek daily to follow Christ in all things (albeit imperfectly, I admit), and I am "a" Christian because I include myself with the body of people who know and testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. Others may espouse differing definitions of what it means to be Christian and "a" Christian...
Drummer4Christ
Member
Do you mind explaining how Jesus is the Savior of mankind?
LightWithin
Member
Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He is the Savior of mankind in that he suffered for the sins of mankind... in that he laid down his own life and took it up again to bring about the resurrection of man. Without Jesus Christ there is no life, no happiness, no peace, and no hope.
You say that you seek to follow Christ and that he is the Saviour of mankind. Do you think that it matters who Christ is?
LightWithin
Member
I do.
And you're aware of the vast differences between who Christ is according to Mormonism and who he is according to traditional Christianity?