A hypothetical question to Mormons

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As many of you know, I’m a former Mormon. I had this thought just pop in my head the other day. I am not trying to back any of you into a corner on this one… just looking for a straight forward answer. If this had ever occured to me while I was a Mormon I don’t quite know how I would have responded.

We all know that the Qu’ran has a different definition of who Jesus is/was than that of Christianity.

We also know that they don’t call themselves Christians.

What if they wanted to be called Christian? What if, although their belief of who Jesus is and what he is vastly differs from you.

What do you think your reaction would be?

in Christ
Steph
 
I would go so far as to call it blasphemous, as they are not true followers of Christ if they don’t believe in all of his teachings.
 
According to Jesus’ words to His Apostles at the end of the gospel of Matthew, a Christian is a baptized person who believes the two fundmental mysteries of Christianity: the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation. Hence, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims, and Jews are not considered Christian in the Catholic Church’s eye.

Muslims believe the Bible is corrupted, though, because this is what is in the Qu’ran, so they can say “Well, that’s not what Jesus meant,” and carry on with their wishful thinking. Granted, for a Muslim to say one surah is wrong is to say the whole Qu’ran is wrong, because Muslims believe the Qu’ran is incorruptible, word for word (this pertains to the Arabic Qu’ran; the Qu’ran in other languages are considered interpretations, not the Qu’ran). So if Muslims said the Qu’ran is wrong about the divinity of Jesus or about His death or about whatever pertaining to Him, than they’d have to (logically) leave Islam and become Christian (or Messianic Jews, if they feel closer to Judaism than Christianity).
 
At what point can someone say that they have the “true” image of Jesus? ANd, should this image not match other Christian faiths, at what point are they no longer Christian?
 
I am pretty certain there are some mormons who are on here.

Could anyone please answer the question?

in Christ
Steph
 
If I were to answer this from a Mormon perspective I’d say the answer is simple: Muslims do not have Jesus as essential to their soteriology, and Mormons do, therefore you’re comparing apples and oranges.
 
nebula said:
If I were to answer this from a Mormon perspective I’d say the answer is simple: Muslims do not have Jesus as essential to their soteriology, and Mormons do, therefore you’re comparing apples and oranges.
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I’m not looking for comparisons. I’m just looking for an honest answer from a Mormon. Two might be better, but…

in Christ
Steph
 
tundramom said:
I’m not looking for comparisons. I’m just looking for an honest answer from a Mormon. Two might be better, but…

in Christ
Steph
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The comparison is the point. I encountered these arguments as a Mormon and that was my reply: Jesus is essential to Mormon soteriology, it isn’t to Islam, that is why Mormonism ought to be considered Christian and not Islam.
 
nebula said:
The comparison is the point. I encountered these arguments as a Mormon and that was my reply: Jesus is essential to Mormon soteriology, it isn’t to Islam, that is why Mormonism ought to be considered Christian and not Islam.
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That is actually acceptable to me.

Now, at what time does a faith that has a totally different understanding of Jesus cease to be Christian?
 
nebula said:
The comparison is the point. I encountered these arguments as a Mormon and that was my reply: Jesus is essential to Mormon soteriology, it isn’t to Islam, that is why Mormonism ought to be considered Christian and not Islam.
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that’s why it’s hypothetical.
 
tundra- ?

ralph- I suppose it depends on who you ask. According to someone who studies American religions at a university who uses a sociological standard, for example, the answer will be different than a theologically based answer from Protestant ministers or the RCC.

From a scholarly point of view, say, trying to figure out how to classify Mormonism in the spectrum of American religions I would classify it as a peculiar American expression of Christianity, as Mormonism clearly has its ideological roots in the Second Great Awakening. Also, I would have to take into account the Mormons’ obsession with being considered Christian by others (which in itself is peculiar considering Mormons weren’t the least bit interested in that 100 years ago).

Theologically, I would argue that Mormonism’s aberrant view of divinity is enough to make it suspicious- if the term Christian is going to be preserved for those who are worshipping God, properly, through Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost. Obviously acceptance of the trinity seems like an important standard. Mormonism’s case is more clearly outside of orthodox Christianity than Oneness Pentecostal’s for sure, who at least believe in GOD.
 
Nebula,
You’re jumping the gun here. I am not interested in comparing Mormonism with Islam. I am just looking for a Mormon’s response to what is a hypothetical situation.

Simply, what I’m asking is IF a Muslim wanted to be called a Christian, what would a Mormon say to that.

in Christ,
Steph
 
tundramom said:
Nebula,
You’re jumping the gun here. I am not interested in comparing Mormonism with Islam. I am just looking for a Mormon’s response to what is a hypothetical situation.

Simply, what I’m asking is IF a Muslim wanted to be called a Christian, what would a Mormon say to that.

in Christ,
Steph
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Steph,

But that’s what my response would be from Mormon shoes: Islam doesn’t need Jesus for its soteriology, therefore I would reject its claims to Christianity-- from the Mormon perspective. See what I mean?
 
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