How much different is Mormonism from mainstream Christianity? Haven't they moved away from the questionable parts of their doctrine?
In Texas evangelical circles, Mormonism is viewed as a cult and not Christian. I personally do not view their faith as Christian either - Jesus Christ is not the One and Only in their faith.
Only away from polygamy (although practiced by a significant minority of offshoots). Everything else is adhered to, including the Book of Mormon. Enough fodder in there to shoot down any candidacy. Other 'unique' practices includes baptizing everyone into their religion, the living and the dead, whether you wanted it or not. Been some tremendous controversy in recent years over the Mormons doing this to Jewish holocaust victims. Throw in the special undergarments, and other oddities, and a Romney candidacy is DOA.
Not according to my wife, who was a Mormon until about ten years ago.
Think of Scientology with a Jesus figure thrown in who is "just like you and I".
The answer - lots.
In terms of the importance placed on family and acceptance of personal responsibility, they out-Christian the Evangelicals.
Very. Polytheistic, different view of who Christ is, 3 levels of heaven, marriage for eternity.
Haven't they moved away from the questionable parts of their doctrine?
No.
But it wouldn't affect my vote. I wouldn't vote for Romney because he is liberal - the same reason I wouldn't vote for Harry Reid.
I'm a mormon and don't really think there are "questionable" practices which separate us from Christians. I was raised as a mormon and we all look down on polygomy.
Well no .... they still think that Jesus is the spirtual brother of Lucifer (known as Satan) ...
No. They have not. They have all sorts of beliefs that are at odds with traditional, orthodox and mainstream Christianity.
IMHO it's hard to understand how anyone who claims to have read the Bible can't see that it is mainstream "Christianity" that is the cult--they are all apostate from the Church found in the New Testament--especially the Evilvangelicals.
As far as the East is from the West
Magical underware that only those who jump through church hoops can wear
Jesus is Satan's "spirit brother"
3 Heavens, guess who goes to the best one?
Baptism of dead people into one of the heavens on & on & on
Haven't they moved away from the questionable parts of their doctrine?
Only a little (blacks can now go into the Temple) and as a PR move to make them seem more mainstream
You mean the part about where God gave Joseph Smith the tablets but then he lost them before anyone else saw them? That part?
Mormonism, unlike any other Christian denomination, Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox, reject many of the basic tenents Christians everywhere else have held for 2000 years. Most Mormons would disagree with that statement, or say yes, we are right and everyone else is wrong, but Christians of all stripes agree on the nature of the Trinity, the virgin conception and birth, the spiritual nature of God, and the reliability and authority of the biblical canon, with it's 66 books (and no more)(yes I know, the Catholics kept a few more in the Old Testament, the deuterocanonicals...which don't contradict the rest) among many (many) other basic beliefs.
How some of those things work (imputed verses infused righteousness, for example, the traditional key difference between Protestant and Roman Catholic theology) are haggled over. Any conservative theologian however in any of the denominations will not call Mormonism a Christian denomination.
Of course people are fully free to believe what they want...this IS America, and I might consider a Mormon candidate...BUT NOT THIS ONE.
The 16th Century Refomer, Martin Luther, had some good advice on this:
"Better ruled by a wise Turk*, than a foolish Christian." *(meaning in his day and age, a heathen...)
Of course best to be ruled by someone wise in all areas of life, in my opinion!
How much different is Mormonism from mainstream Christianity?
It's actually quite similar.................except for the magical underpants.............................