Are Mormons (LDS) Christians?

[Jimmy_B]

Are Mormons (LDS) Christian? Moreover, if they are, aren’t they Protestants as well?

In addition, what is the story with the, “Looking Glass Trial"?

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

What is, “Blood Letting?”

Do all Mormons become “gods” when they die?

What is the fig leaf dance?

Why do Mormons baptized dead people and do they belief that that process actually makes those people Mormon?

Do Mormons believe in the Holy Trinity?

What do they have to say about Catholicism?

 

[BartBurk]

Are Mormons (LDS) Christian? Moreover, if they are, aren’t they Protestants as well?

In addition, what is the story with the, “Looking Glass Trial"?

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

What is, “Blood Letting?”

Do all Mormons become “gods” when they die?

What is the fig leaf dance?

Why do Mormons baptized dead people and do they belief that that process actually makes those people Mormon?

Do Mormons believe in the Holy Trinity?

What do they have to say about Catholicism?

I believe they are heretical Christians. I would still have to classify them as Christians even if their baptism is invalid.

 

[jdnrite01]

In a nutshell, I don’t believe that Mormons are Christian; they’ve merely co-opted the Bible and Christian terminology to preach a pagan faith.

In the King Follett Discourse, a funeral talk Joseph Smith gave in 1844, Smith left his church with the clearest Mormon statement to date on the nature of God:

“God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens.] That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man. The scriptures inform us that Jesus said, ‘As the Father hath power to himself, even so hath the Son power’—to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious—in a manner to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? To lay down my life as my Father did, and take it up again. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it, you do not believe the Bible. The scriptures say it and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell together to refute it.”

The Mormon church has taught since that time, God the Father was once a man who was created by his God, was born and lived on another earth, learned and lived the “Mormon gospel,” died, and was eventually resurrected and made God over this universe. As such, he retains forever his flesh-and-bones body.

Brigham Young taught that Adam is the god of this world. That’s pretty odd. Nevertheless, the Mormon church has constantly taught that God the Father is a perfected man with a physical body and parts. They believe that righteous Mormon men may also progress, as did the Father, and eventually become gods themselves. In fact, fifth president, Lorenzo Snow, summed up the Mormon teaching thus: “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be.” Snow frequently claimed this summary of the Mormon doctrine on God and man was revealed to him by inspiration. (See Stephen E. Robinson, Are Mormons Christian?, 60, note 1.)

There are many more examples where Mormon beliefs are so widely divergent from traditional Christian belief that the only conclusion is that the Mormon church is not Christian.

 

[Deconi]

No!
The Mormon church is “Smith-so-nian”

Mormons, though, are trying to find Christ.

 

[scipio337]

Its a hard yes/no, black/white question. Their belief in a G*d with no ontological differences from humans (our “spirts” from the pre-existence are also eternal and uncreated), and the whole “eternal progression” are wholly alien to orthodox Christianity, but they do believe in the (semi) divinity of Christ.

 

[Will_B]

It is difficult to say they are Christian when their view of Christ is so different then the original teaching of Who Christ is… As defined in the bible and in the creeds.

A Mormon could never say the Nicaean Creed, they don’t believe it. Nor could they say the Apostles Creed.

 

[BartBurk]

It is difficult to say they are Christian when their view of Christ is so different then the original teaching of Who Christ is… As defined in the bible and in the creeds.

A Mormon could never say the Nicaean Creed, they don’t believe it. Nor could they say the Apostles Creed.

I can’t see anything in the Apostles Creed with which they would disagree.

 

[Jimmy_B]

What is the story with the, “Looking Glass Trial"?

 

[RebeccaJ]

What is the story with the, “Looking Glass Trial"?

JS had a scrying stone (sometimes called a looking glass or peep stone) that he used to treasure hunt, similar in concept to using a forked stick to find water. American folk magic was alive and well in that area at that time.

There were a lot of rumors floating around his area at the time that there was treasure buried by ancient Native Americans. He charged people to look for treasure on their property, using his scrying stone.

One of the people he charged for this “service” turned him into the police, he was arrested, tried and ordered to leave the township.

He used this same scrying stone to “translate” the BoM, he put the stone into his hat, and then stuck his face into the hat in a manner that would block the light from reaching the stone.

 

[rpp]

Asking if Mormons are Christian is like asking if the sky is yellow or is Salt Lake City in Italy.

Of course they are not Christian. They do not believe in one God. They do not believe in the Trinity. They do not believe that God created the Universe. They do not believe in on holy, universal (i.e. Catholic) and apostolic Church. They do not believe that the Bible is inerrant.

There is not much in the creed that an Mormon can agree with. Perhaps the virgin birth. But their baptism is so different that the Catholic Church does not accept it.

As for Tsuzuki’s comment, it is important to note that despite what his signature says, he is NOT Catholic. He claims to be involved in diabolical practices that are often associated with Devil worship known as “chaos magic”. Look at his post history. Give his comments they weight they deserve.

 

[Jimmy_B]

JS had a scrying stone (sometimes called a looking glass or peep stone) that he used to treasure hunt, similar in concept to using a forked stick to find water. American folk magic was alive and well in that area at that time.

There were a lot of rumors floating around his area at the time that there was treasure buried by ancient Native Americans. He charged people to look for treasure on their property, using his scrying stone.

One of the people he charged for this “service” turned him into the police, he was arrested, tried and ordered to leave the township.

He used this same scrying stone to “translate” the BoM, he put the stone into his hat, and then stuck his face into the hat in a manner that would block the light from reaching the stone.

Thank You!

 

[Jimmy_B]

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

 

[VWcrazy]

Mormonism is the epitome of apostacy.

 

[tGette]

No.
They are Mormons.

Saying a Mormon is Christian is similar to saying a Muslim is Christian…

Though, as it was mentioned, I do believe a lot of them truly try to follow in the footsteps of our Lord and our God, Jesus Christ.

 

[Prague]

My friend is 82 years old and is LDS. She has told me that she was taught and still believes that they are not Christians like we think of as Christians. They consider themselves Special and Different. Just like those of the Jewish faith consider themselves the Chosen People.
I am just saying what she told me. Her grandmother was the eighth wife of her grandfather, so her history with LDS does goe back a few years…
Just thought I would mention this.

 

[nebula]

My friend is 82 years old and is LDS. She has told me that she was taught and still believes that they are not Christians like we think of as Christians. They consider themselves Special and Different. Just like those of the Jewish faith consider themselves the Chosen People.
I am just saying what she told me. Her grandmother was the eighth wife of her grandfather, so her history with LDS does goe back a few years…
Just thought I would mention this.

Yes, this used to be the way it was until the middle of the last century. I figure it is due to Mormons leaving the Mormon corridor in increasing numbers, getting their fingers into the existing American system and really wanting to be seen as respectable, normal members of the system they were then so invested in. Suddenly, Mormons were no longer to immigrate to Zion and literally build it up, they were to metaphorically build up Zion where they lived. Now they were Christians, though before they saw Christians as hopelessly misled and missing the fulness of the gospel. And so it goes…

 

[tundramom]

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

If they’re honest with Mormon teachings, they believe that “all men are responsible for their own sin and not for Adam’s transgression.”

The garden scenario to a Mormon is a necessary step in their exaltation. without the Fall, they believe no one could have procreated.

it’s sick really.

in Christ
Steph

 

[MelanieAnne]

Are Mormons (LDS) Christian? Moreover, if they are, aren’t they Protestants as well?

Mormons are not Christian in the traditional sense. Their understanding of the Godhead is completely at odds with Christianity. They originally set themselves apart from all other forms of Christianity. This is not said to demean them, and with all due respect, they did this to themselves. The Mormon version of Jesus Christ and God (their “Heavenly Father”) is so totally at odds with other faiths as to put them in a totally different category. They explain this difference by claiming that their faith restores a religion that was “lost” shortly after the death of the last Apostle, despite the fact that there is no historical evidence to support their claim.

In addition, what is the story with the, “Looking Glass Trial"?

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

What is, “Blood Letting?”

Do all Mormons become “gods” when they die?

Worthy Mormon Men progress to Exaltation/Godhood according to their theology. Their spouses may accompany them.

What is the fig leaf dance?

Why do Mormons baptized dead people and do they belief that that process actually makes those people Mormon?

Mormons believe that unless one is baptized according to the Mormon tradition one cannot attain the highest degree of glory in the Celestial Kingdom. So they baptize their dead ancestors by proxy to attain this qualification for them.

Do Mormons believe in the Holy Trinity?

They do in their own way. They do not understand the Trinity in the same way Christians do mostly because their view of the Godhead is so different. It’s like they speak a different language using the same words. They say the words, but the words mean something entirely different. It is very difficult to have conversations with Mormons about the Godhead or the Trinity because of their heretical beliefs.

What do they have to say about Catholicism?

A Mormon friend of mine once had a conversation with a Catholic priest where she quoted him as saying, “well, you know, either you’re right, or we’re right, but no one else is right”. I have a suspicion as to where that Catholic priest’s determination was about that question and I support it.

 

[Jimmy_B]

Thank you for your post.

 

[BartBurk]

How do Mormons view Orignal Sin and what happened in the Garden of Eden?

They view it basically as the Eastern Orthodox do. The result of the fall is that sin and death entered the world. As a result, people have a natural tendency to sin. To paraphrase the Book of Mormon, “The natural man is an enemy to God.” They do not believe in any inherited guilt because of Adam’s sin.