Why do Mormons claim to be Christians?

[drac16]

Because they care about how they are seen. They won’t start out by saying that black people bear the curse of Cain or that you can become a God-- they want to present their message in a way that seems Christian. I don’t know of any church that cares about its image more than the LDS church.

 

[Janderich]

Yes, but Mormons do not center their life around Jesus, they center their life around Joseph Smith. If you centered yourself around Christ and his teachings, you’d acknowledge him as God the Son.

See this is the problem I have been discussing. We absolutely center our lives around Christ and this “God the Son” is just another reference to the trinity.

 

[Janderich]

All in all, Mormons worship different deities than Christians do. Elohim has nothing to do with Christianity, he is a foreign god that was made up by Joseph Smith. He has nothing to do with Christianity, but every thing to do with Mormonism. How can Mormons be Christians when they worship non-Christian gods?

Of course we believe that God the Father is one person, Jesus Christ is his son, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. They are separate and distinct. None of this means we are not Christian. Why do you believe that a person must believe in the trinity to be Christian? Again Trinitarian does not equal Christian.

 

[Janderich]

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” - Matthew 28:19

Here then are the words we use when performing a baptism: “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” Just as Jesus commanded. I don’t believe Catholics have much quarrel with the words themselves.

By the way, have you noticed how the wording is not, “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” but instead is, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”? Why do you think each one is separated so distinctly?

 

[thephilosopher6]

No, you do not. You center your lives around the teachings of Joseph Smith, not Christ. No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). If you truly want to follow Christ, come into Christianity.

 

[thephilosopher6]

I do not see what you’re getting at, both are valid forms because they mean the same thing. “And” changes nothing. It’s a matter of grammar not doctrine. The persons of the Trinity are separate distinctly, else we would not be baptizing in their individual names. But we do not believe they are 3 beings or gods, which is blasphemy to the highest. Looks like you’re attempting to establish a straw man. Now, you do not baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You baptize in the name of foreign gods like Elohim that have absolutely nothing to do with Christianity. From the outside it may look like the Trinity, but when we discover you’re actually baptizing in the name of foreign deities, it comes to light that you’re not.

 

[RebeccaJ]

thephilosopher6:

Yes, but Mormons do not center their life around Jesus, they center their life around Joseph Smith. If you centered yourself around Christ and his teachings, you’d acknowledge him as God the Son.

See this is the problem I have been discussing. We absolutely center our lives around Christ and this “God the Son” is just another reference to the trinity.

Here’s just a few more references to God the Son. Three witnesses is what you need, no?

John 20

26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

John 1

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Revelations 22

12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Isaiah 44

Thus says the LORD, Israel’s king,
its redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
I am the first, I am the last;
there is no God but me.

 

[Theo520]

I see you are a fan of the “No True Scotsman” fallacy.

 

[lilypadrees]

The Mormon who told me that the BoM is more important to then than the Bible said they need the BoM to explain the Bible to them.

lilypadrees:

Actually, one Mormon told me to my face that the Book of Mormon is more important than the Holy Bible which they view as ancient.

That Mormon was probably thinking in terms of one of their Articles of Faith which says that they believe the Bible to be the word of God “as far as it is translated correctly” and that they also believe the BOM to be the word of God.

The interesting thing is that Joseph Smith rarely if ever gave any sermons from the BOM. Once he finished that project and tried to sell the copyright he moved on to bigger and better things.

Yeah, he said “as far as it is translated correctly” too.

 

[lilypadrees]

Why do you not believe in the Trinity?

 

[runningdude]

They call themselves the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. They believe they are the true Christian faith and all others are severely flawed.

 

[Janderich]

Why do you not believe in the Trinity?

Simply put, because it is not true. What’s more, it prevents men and women from understanding who God is, who Jesus is, who the Holy is, and who they are. If the false notion of the trinity is wiped away a person may begin to understand that God is not of a different substance from us, just far more advanced. That Jesus is not a being who dwells outside of space and time who once presented himself as a man, but is rather God’s son. That the Holy Ghost is not some mystical substance combined with the other two but a being of Spirit, separate and distinct.

 

[Lemuel]

Jesus is not a being who dwells outside of space and time who once presented himself as a man, but is rather God’s son.

1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.

2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—

3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—

4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.

Joseph Smith started out as a Trinitarian. His views of God were constantly changing.

 

[Lemuel]

Why do you not believe in the Trinity?

Because they don’t actually believe in the BOM.

 

[Janderich]

Janderich:

Jesus is not a being who dwells outside of space and time who once presented himself as a man, but is rather God’s son.

1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.

2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—

3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son—

4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and of earth.

Joseph Smith started out as a Trinitarian. His views of God were constantly changing.

Oh boy, your going to push your false belief into the BoM too? Isn’t distorting the Bible enough? Abinadi is not teaching the trinity. He is teaching about how the spirit must control the flesh, like Jesus allowed his spirit to be subject to his flesh.

 

[Lemuel]

Oh really? Tell you what. Teach me the nature of God only using the BOM. The fullness of the Gospel. The most perfect book. The book that will allow man to become closer to God than any other book. Show me where God is a personage of flesh and bone. Tell me where God was once a man. Tell me where we can become Gods. Tell me where God lives on a planet near the star Kolob. Tell me where God is eternally changing. Tell me where God once lived a mortal life and became a God through his righteous living. Using the Book of Mormon, only. I’ll wait.

 

[Lemuel]

Oh boy, your going to push your false belief into the BoM too?

Just a small point but poor English is like fingernails on a chalkboard. I know I probably do it too, but it makes me crazy.

 

[CapitalistCatholic]

Mormons claim to be Christians because their ideas are sort of based on the Bible. Whether we Catholics like it or not, their religion fits the only criteria to be a Christian by definition but not in reality.

 

[RebeccaJ]

This is not me speaking, because Opinions do not matter, only the Truth. Prophets are not infallible, though Catholics claim the Pope IS infallible. I have Friends who were excommunicated from the Catholic Church just for getting a Divorce. And they said there was no Way they were infallible as were claimed. But Latter-day Saints know nobody is infallible bu The Living, Breathing CHRIST, The SON of GOD. I speak from Teachings of the First Presidents of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints. We know they are imperfect Men, and that they make Mistakes, but they were ordained by GOD and the Holy Priesthood after the Order of JESUS CHRIST.

I love you in the Name of JESUS CHRIST, Amen.

-Matthew Benjamin “Benji” Abernathy I, Esq.

Bearing your testimony is against forum rules because it is proselytizing.

Beyond that what does this have tho do with the scriptures I quoted. Nothing? Also against forum rules.

No one is excommunicated for getting a divorce. Are you making stuff up?Divorce and remarrying is not allowed by Jesus. Jesus called this adultery. Why does Mormonism allow what Jesus is against? Because someone claiming to speak for God changed what Jesus taught? Beware of false prophets.

Popes can’t change the Apostolic teachings. The Apostles taught what Jesus taught. Mormon so-called prophets teach counter to Jesus. Beware of false prophets.

When we commit a grave sin, we remove ourselves from communion. Some Mormons, think the Catholic Church should give everyone a pass for their grave sins. I’d rather follow a Pope who teaches good morals than a Mormon who teaches against them.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Jesus names himself the first and the last, which is what GOD names himself. God led Israel from their polytheism, proclaiming there is ONE GOD.

Cease your polytheism, is what God has recommended since the time Hebrews worshipped the idolatrous gods (so-called) of their neighbors. Cease explaining away the clear truth.