Posted on 12/19/2009 7:27:26 PM PST by delacoert
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The Mormons regard themselves as Christians, and Jesus figures prominently on the covers of LDS publications. They believe that after the death of Christ's apostles his church became confused, a period that ended only with the restoration of the Gospel by the presentation of another book of scripture by an angel to LDS founder Joseph Smith.
Most Christian theologians, however, disagree, not just because they disbelieve the angel story and the Book of Mormon that resulted, but by pointing to Mormon concepts including the ability of humans to become godlike entities after death. Most perturbed have been conservative Evangelicals like the Southern Baptists, who share many of the Mormons' conservatiave social values yet have a very strict view of what is and what is not scripture, and find themselves in competition with the LDS for congregants.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1675308,00.html#ixzz0aCCsVZTr
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
interesting thread a bornin’
Mormons deny the Trinity. Real Christians believe Jesus is God. Mormons believe Jesus and Satan are on equal footing. Mormonism is a false religion/cult.
After reading the previously posted threads, I have a question (I’m Catholic), what does Islam say about Mormonism?
Just trying to lighten up the thread.
I have acquaintances and extended family members that are Mormon. The ones I know are good people. If by their beliefs they damn themselves, I guess that’s their business.
I don’t know what else to say.
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Interesting post, thank you.
My pastor used to tell us that there are only two religions in the world: the religion of human achievement, and the religion of Divine accomplishment.
True Christians are in the second category.
I understand that. I won’t choose their religion for them.
Every year I get the Jehovah’s Witnesses knocking on my door. I tell them politely that I’m not interested and very happy being Catholic.
I have never had a Mormon try to convert me. I would tell them the same thing.
If someone wants to damn themselves to Hell, I guess it’s their right.
“A form of godliness but denies the power thereof”.
It is sad, but I do not witness. If someone were to ask me, that might be different. Some of my ancestors were missionaries. That was not my calling I guess.
Your question reminded me of something one of my aunts said when I was a kid. My grandpa had just died and my aunt (he was her father-in-law) said in the car, in front of us kids, that my grandpa was going to hell because he didn’t go to church. That didn’t make me feel so good. I was upset that she said that.
The Great Commission says we are all to be missionaries, going to Jerusalem (our locale), Judaea and Samaria (look at these as North America), and to the ends of the earth, making disciples of all nations.
It isn’t a suggestion...
I wouldn’t be a good witness. I am not well schooled in the Bible. Grew up going to different denominational churches and one that you could call a non-church (Unitarians).
The problem with Mormonism that makes it non-Christian is not the notion that salvation is deification (or in Greek, theosis). This is, in fact, the classical Christian understanding of salvation: "God became Man that man might become god," as St. Athansius put it. For support in the canonical Scriptures for this patristic notion, consider St. Peter's dictum that we are to become partakers of the divine nature through grace, St. Paul's numerous references to Christians receive adoption as sons of God, and Our Lord's own quotation of the psalmist "I have said ye are gods".
The problem with Mormonism is its denial of the Holy Trinity as the one, radically transcendent God, its gnostic placing of Christ and Satan on a more-or-less equal footing as "spirit brothers", and its anthropomorphization of the Father.
I think the gnostics (Mormons) and Arians (Jehovah’s Witnesses) must have put a mark on my door or something. They’ve stopped coming around. When they used to, the encounter must have seemed surreal to them: They didn’t get to preach to me, instead I’d try to convert them to Orthodox Christianity—Mormons were particularly fun since Smith’s defective notion of theosis served as an entree to hold forth on the true doctrine, and his notion that ‘prophecy had left the world’ let me point out prophecies of St. Nilius and St. Seraphim of Sarov which were fulfilled and proved Smith’s notion absurd.
From my experience in my neighborhood, the LDS missionaries don’t come to your door unless you have been referred (asked for information). Every year, like clockwork, the Jehovah’s Witnesses come along. I don’t like door-to-door stuff. I usually spot them and don’t answer the door. Once every few years, they catch me before I spot them. I got into a discussion one time. I ended up (I’m not too forceful) giving them money for their magazine so they would leave. The women wanted to debate (for lack of a better word) Catholicism with me and started asking a lot of questions about Mary.
I got into a discussion one time with one of my LDS neighbors about Catholicism vs LDS. I had a couple friends and family that were LDS. They told me some things that I think they weren’t supposed to. I told my neighbor that I had difficulty not only with some of the beliefs but the secrecy as well. My extended family members that are LDS are “Jack Mormons” for the most part. Not “Temple worthy”.
I wouldn’t be a good witness. I am not well schooled in the Bible. Grew up going to different denominational churches
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You can change that. God can change that. There are several good Bible studies (including several Catholic ones) online.
I was led out of Mormonism, and became a Christian because some Christians took the time to witness to me.
It is not all about intellectual argument. Sometimes sincerely witnessing your love for Jesus and what He has done in your life can make a world of difference to someone who doesn’t really KNOW Him.
Interesting background information. I just don’t feel qualified (for lack of a better word).
About 7 or 8 years ago, a group was giving the jr. high kids, little Bibles just of the school grounds. Some of the kids threw them on the ground by my car. I ran around and picked them up and took them home. I just felt that I needed to do that. I didn’t see the man’s reaction that was handing out the Bibles.
Truth is, most people who witness don’t feel qualified. I have a BA in Biblical Studies (both academic and pastoral tracks) and *I* don’t feel qualified. lol.
All you can do is pray that God will give you the words they need to hear and trust that He will (and He will do it).
I am sure that the Christians who witnessed to me didn’t feel qualified either.
Peace sister.
R
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