Are Mormons Christians? Mormons say "yes" and take great exception to anyone saying otherwise. They refer often to the fact that they invoke respect, love, and honor toward Jesus. It is very clear by their own words that their definition of "Jesus" is semantical usage. I like soda. I love soda. I drink soda every day. Soda has changed my life. Soda is god-given. So, what is your definition of soda? I am speaking of baking soda. Yours may have been a Coke or a Pepsi. Some of my verbiage is applicable to both definitions. Here is an example. Is it soda or soda?
"There are many who say that Latter-day Saints believe in a 'different Jesus' than do other Christians and that we are therefore not 'Christian.' . . . We believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, and we believe what the New Testament teaches about Him. We do believe things about Jesus that other Christians do not believe, but that is because we know, through revelation, things about Jesus that others do not know. . . .What we want most of all is for Christian and non-Christian alike to understand that we love the Lord Jesus Christ. We revere His name. We count it a great honor and privilege to take upon ourselves the name of Christ as Christians and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Apostle M. Russell Ballard)
In fact, by their own words, the Mormons have a soda that no one has, made with their own ingredients. They love it. They drink it. It is "god-given". They keep calling it soda, but it is not the soda I know. Is it the soda you know?
Christianity
There is only one God (Isaiah 43:11; 44:6,8; 45:5)
Mormonism
"And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light (Book of Abraham 4:3).
Christianity
God has always been God (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15).
Mormonism
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!!! . . . We have imagined that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you may see" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345
"There are many who say that Latter-day Saints believe in a 'different Jesus' than do other Christians and that we are therefore not 'Christian.' . . . We believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, and we believe what the New Testament teaches about Him. We do believe things about Jesus that other Christians do not believe, but that is because we know, through revelation, things about Jesus that others do not know. . . .What we want most of all is for Christian and non-Christian alike to understand that we love the Lord Jesus Christ. We revere His name. We count it a great honor and privilege to take upon ourselves the name of Christ as Christians and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." (Apostle M. Russell Ballard)
In fact, by their own words, the Mormons have a soda that no one has, made with their own ingredients. They love it. They drink it. It is "god-given". They keep calling it soda, but it is not the soda I know. Is it the soda you know?
Christianity
There is only one God (Isaiah 43:11; 44:6,8; 45:5)
Mormonism
"And they (the Gods) said: Let there be light: and there was light (Book of Abraham 4:3).
Christianity
God has always been God (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15).
Mormonism
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!!! . . . We have imagined that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea and take away the veil, so that you may see" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345
Christianity
God is a spirit without flesh and bones (John ; Luke 24:39)
Mormonism"The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22. Compare withAlma
God is a spirit without flesh and bones (John ; Luke 24:39)
Mormonism"The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's" (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22. Compare with
"Therefore we know that both the Father and the Son are in form and stature perfect men; each of them possesses a tangible body . . . of flesh and bones." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 38).
Christianity
The Trinity is the doctrine that there is only one God in all the universe and that He exists in three, eternal, simultaneous person: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
MormonismThe trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35.)
The Trinity is the doctrine that there is only one God in all the universe and that He exists in three, eternal, simultaneous person: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
MormonismThe trinity is three separate Gods: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. "That these three are separate individuals, physically distinct from each other, is demonstrated by the accepted records of divine dealings with man." (Articles of Faith, by James Talmage, p. 35.)
Christianity
Jesus was born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah ; Matt. )
Mormonism
"The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8: p. 115)
"Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers" (Mormon Doctrine," by Bruce McConkie, p. 547)
Jesus was born of the virgin Mary (Isaiah ; Matt. )
Mormonism
"The birth of the Saviour was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood - was begotten of his Father, as we were of our fathers." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 8: p. 115)
"Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers" (Mormon Doctrine," by Bruce McConkie, p. 547)
Christianity
Jesus is the eternal Son. He is second person of the Trinity. He has two natures. He is God in flesh and man (John 1:1, 14; Col. 2;9) and the creator of all things (Col. 1:15-17).
Mormonism
Jesus is the literal spirit-brother of Lucifer, a creation. (Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15)
Jesus is the eternal Son. He is second person of the Trinity. He has two natures. He is God in flesh and man (John 1:1, 14; Col. 2;9) and the creator of all things (Col. 1:15-17).
Mormonism
Jesus is the literal spirit-brother of Lucifer, a creation. (Gospel Through the Ages, p. 15)
Are Mormons Christians? Yes, but is soda, soda?
Thanks for this. I'm doing a parish lecture series on the differences between Orthodoxy and other religions, and this summary will work well in the brief section on Mormonism.
ReplyDeleteFather Bless,
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. I am honored for your visit to JTO. I took the time to look at your blog and I look forward to visiting you as often as possible. I took the liberty of linking your blog on JTO. I hope this is okay.
Father Bless,
Nathan Lee lewis
God bless you! Of course it's okay. Thanks for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am Eastern Orthodox and am a student of Mormon history and thought. Many LDS folks see similiarity between Holy Orthodoxy and Mormonism. I have been studying Mormonism for some time now and have amassed a small library of Mormon history and theology. Perhaps, what some Mormons see in Holy Orthodoxy can be a basis for sharing the fulness of the gospel to them and helping them out of heresy.
ReplyDeletetry this on
ReplyDeleteAnd try this on also
ReplyDeletethese two video will explain it best.
Prayer has no denomination nor any exclusive right. Joseph Smith believed everyone had the right to have their own beliefs. The true gospel was lost and restored on the earth. Orthodox members are arrogant, ignorant, and totally lost, they think gold and praying to icons ( idol worship ) is okay. It's incredible they never shave and wear all these fancy garbs and have a reason to party it up most days and weeks. great for alcoholics and stinky guys who are full of themselves. show me where it says in the bible that they should do the things they do. Including praying to saints and all their magic incredible silly story's. They also believe they practice the exact things that Christ set up. hmmmm show that to me in the bible too.
Read the book of Acts in the Bible and you will learn about the history of the Orthodox Church. And we don't worship saints. And also I don't think God cares how long your facial hair is.
DeleteKflutz, Your question starts with a faulty premise: "show me in the Bible"- or Sola Scriptura- The Bible alone.
ReplyDeleteEverything in the Bible is true but not everything that is true is in the Bible. The church gave us the Bible, the Bible didn't give us the church. It is a recorded history of the life and tradition of the church.
But to follow your premise: What does the Bible say is the "pillar and foundation of all truth"?
(hint...it is somewhere in the book of Timothy) Also: Where does the Bible claim to be the ONLY source of truth for the church or that if it is not in the Bible it is not true? Finally: Since the Bible, as we know it, did not come into being until about 400 A.D., on what did the church rely for truth for the first 400 years?
Read my post: Authority It's Huge! Huge!
You do lose credibility when you resort to using words such as, "fancy", "silly", "stinky", and "magic", in relation to Orthodoxy. You do criticize what you do not understand.
By the way, KFLUTZ, You didn't comment on the content of the post. What do you think about the stark differences between Christianity and Mormonism? What Soda are you drinking?
ReplyDeleteThis Orthodox Christian has encountered a number of mormons within chat rooms.
ReplyDeleteThe Jesus Christ of scripture is NOT the Jesus that Mormonism had invented.
They deny the Christian Holy Trinity and go as far as attacking St. Constantine for "inventing" the Trinity.
Also, bare in mind that NO Christian church will accept the so called "baptism" of Mormonism
Joseph Smith was called a prophet *dum dum dum dum dum*
ReplyDeleteFounded the Mormon religion *dum dum dum dum dum*
This animation about sums it up in 8 minutes. Mormonism is an abomination of Christianity. I would like some magic mormon underwear - that way I can answer the door in them when the missionaries come calling.
ReplyDeleteEver heard of the Mountain Meadows Massacre? Mormon Blood atonement? Danites? FLDS Bleeding the beast? Type any of these in any internet search engine.
Mormons are a spooky American Cult of personality - one Joseph Smith, Jr.
Mormonism, in spite of the red cheeked, innocent, pleasant people practicing it,is a demonic deception. The founder was a sociopath, and a huge druggie and drinker. After one of his binges he saw a angel, and the angel told him to dig in the earth for something precious. Nothing spiritual, nothing about Christ or God, just dig in the earth for treasure. No spiritual advice or warning.
ReplyDeleteHe favored polygamy because he lusted after a young girl and had to make up something to justify his lust;some old testatment type reasoning about having lots of kids so something wonderful would happen to the world. His first wife was extremely unhappy with the arrangement, but Smith wasn't given for caring much about anybody but himself.
Much of what Smith did was based on his on personal whims, and he was, like most sociopaths, so charming he could sell you your own drawers! He told people what they wanted and needed to hear at the time.
Mormons are children of God, as we all are, but they are in no way, shape or form, Christians.
Mary
Mary, Although the conclusions you draw may be correct, it would help to substantiate your opinion that Smith was a sociopath, etc. (Evil does not require a crazy person, just a deceived one) From what source did you get your info? Polygamy was a God ordained practice at one time in history, to propagate a people, and there are not a few non-Mormon "Christian" sects that advocate it today. This is not to endorse the practice, but simply to suggest that Smith may have had other reasons than simple lust for one girl. This is not an attempt to discount your claims, just trying to limit the demagoguery on this issue.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very old post and a new and probably very shallow comment, but one thing I have noticed about Mormonism is, it has a resemblance to Islam on many levels and in many particulars.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be a very definite pattern in the development of false, man-made religions spooked up by false, man-ordained prophets. Some survive and become denominations. Others die out because their prophets just didn't know when to stop (Jim Jones and Jonestown, for example).
Whether we recognize them as valid religions or not, even in the non-Christian faiths — Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, native American spirituality — we can sense that there is real truth there, even if only partial, and that what constitutes these faiths is not something that was 'religiously engineered' but the deposit of a gradual realisation by a culture of what and even Who the Truth is.
This is why all 'real religions' anticipate the revelation of Jesus Christ the God-Man, and can be 'old testaments' leading into the New and Everlasting Covenant.
Since the Church started in the Hebrew world, the Hebrew religion became the first of these 'old testaments' and was canonized by the Church. But as the Word of God Jesus Christ goes forth to meet all cultures, lands and times, the Evangelion can be built on the supple and expectant spiritual traditions, or religions, of almost all people, to greater or lesser degrees.
In the case of Islam, this cannot be done, because it is a man-made religion borrowing selectively from the real religion of Judaism and from the faith of Christ, willfully changing what it has borrowed, sometimes inverting it, so that all that remains are names and words, while the Truth content is discarded.
The same would be true of Mormonism, and for exactly the same reasons.
But I can testify that I can witness to a Hindu, for example, whose religion I am very familiar with, and show how the myths that are taken as true by them really are true and in fact are made fully comprehensible only when one meets Christ in them. How is this possible? Because Christ is, was, and will be, that is, always was, the Truth that underlay all their myths, awaiting His literal coming, and their meeting Him in space and time, to be fulfilled.
Yes, Jesus Christ ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever,’ can be found even when well-hidden in the real religions. But as for those that are not real religions, but mere human constructs for the subjugation and conquest and annihilation of human souls, these have no meeting with Christ in this or any world, except when they are flung forever into the fiery lake.
This is why the witness of the Church to people under subjection to Islam and Mormonism has to be undertaken in a similar way to the witness to atheists, and all people who are religionless to begin with.
As C. S. Lewis wrote in his allegory The Pilgrim's Regress, ’the definition of a Pagan [is] a man so travelling that if all goes well he arrives at Mother Kirk’s chair [at the Church] and is carried over this gorge [the sin of the world]…’ Mormons are not Christians, and Muslims are not pagans, by creedal criteria. They are subjects of a form of pseudo-religious nihilism, of anti-humanism. Their conversion is only possible (I think) by meeting the Lord in person (in the person of His servants) and not by reference to their religious heritage, for they have none.
I'm not educated like I believe many of you are...but I was once a Mormon myself. I went to church multiple times a week and even attended seminary. During that time I found many flaws in the teachings. Mormons for one believe that Jesus has already made his second coming to this earth. They also follow the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, etc. way more than they do the Holy Bible. Their leaders are called phrophets with direct communication to God. There were many other things that turned me away from this 'religion' and I am so glad I did. Good people, but false prophets, false teachings.
ReplyDelete