Mormons ARE NOT Christians. They do not believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ. They do not believe He is the Son of God. They believe He was the brother of Satan. Thus, don't call them Christians.
Question: "What is Mormonism? What do Mormons believe?"
Answer: The Mormon religion (Mormonism), whose followers are known as Mormons and Latter Day Saints (LDS), was founded less than two hundred years ago by a man named Joseph Smith. He claimed to have received a personal visit from God the Father and Jesus Christ who told him that all churches and their creeds were an abomination. Joseph Smith then set out to begin a brand-new religion that claims to be the “only true church on earth.” The problem with Mormonism is that it contradicts, modifies, and expands on the Bible. Christians have no reason to believe that the Bible is not true and adequate. To truly believe in and trust God means to believe in His Word, and all Scripture is inspired by God, which means it comes from Him (2 Timothy 3:16).
Mormons believe that there are in fact four sources of divinely inspired words, not just one: 1) The Bible “as far as it is translated correctly.” Which verses are considered incorrectly translated is not always made clear. 2) The Book of Mormon, which was “translated” by Smith and published in 1830. Smith claimed it is the “most correct book” on earth and that a person can get closer to God by following its precepts “than by any other book.” 3) The Doctrine and Covenants, containing a collection of modern revelations regarding the “Church of Jesus Christ as it has been restored.” 4) The Pearl of the Great Price, which is considered by Mormons to “clarify” doctrines and teachings that were lost from the Bible and adds its own information about the earth's creation.
Mormons believe the following about God: He has not always been the Supreme Being of the universe, but attained that status through righteous living and persistent effort. They believe God the Father has a “body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s.” Though abandoned by modern Mormon leaders, Brigham Young taught that Adam actually was God and the father of Jesus Christ. In contrast, Christians know this about God: there is only one true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6-8), He always has existed and always will exist (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17), and He was not created but is the Creator (Genesis 1, Psalm 24:1; Isaiah 37:16). He is perfect, and no one else is equal to Him (Psalm 86:8; Isaiah 40:25). God the Father is not a man, nor was He ever (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hosea 11:9). He is Spirit (John 4:24), and Spirit is not made of flesh and bone (Luke 24:39).
Mormons believe that there are different levels or kingdoms in the afterlife: the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, the telestial kingdom, and outer darkness. Where mankind will end up depends on what they believe and do in this life. In contrast, the Bible tells us that after death, we go to heaven or hell based on whether or not we had faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. To be absent from our bodies means, as believers, we are with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Unbelievers are sent to hell or the place of the dead (Luke 16:22-23). When Jesus comes the second time, we will receive new bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). There will be a new heaven and new earth for believers (Revelation 21:1), and unbelievers will be thrown into an everlasting lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). There is no second chance for redemption after death (Hebrews 9:27).
Mormon leaders have taught that Jesus’ incarnation was the result of a physical relationship between God the Father and Mary. Mormons believe Jesus is a god, but that any human can also become a god. Mormonism teaches that salvation can be earned by a combination of faith and good works. Contrary to this, Christians historically have taught that no one can achieve the status of God—only He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2). We can only be made holy in God's sight through faith in Him (1 Corinthians 1:2). Jesus is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), is the only one ever to have lived a sinless, blameless life, and now has the highest place of honor in heaven (Hebrews 7:26). Jesus and God are one in essence, Jesus being the only One existing before physical birth (John 1:1-8; 8:56). Jesus gave Himself to us as a sacrifice, God raised Him from the dead, and one day everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:6-11). Jesus tells us it is impossible to get to heaven by our own works and that only by faith in Him is it possible (Matthew 19:26). We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, but God's infinite love and grace have allowed us a way out. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Clearly, there is only one way to receive salvation and that is to know God and His Son, Jesus (John 17:3). It is not done by works, but by faith (Romans 1:17; 3:28). We can receive this gift no matter who we are or what we have done (Romans 3:22). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Although Mormons are usually friendly, loving, and kind people, they are deceived by a false religion that distorts the nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, and the means of salvation.
from Bible questions answered.com
Help me understand. Romney is not a Christian and Obama is? I heard Obama say he supported gay marriage BECAUSE he was a Christian.
Romney did a great job today.
He praised God and Christianity and never explicitly claimed that the LDSers are Christian.
The text was masterfully crafted.
I'm surprised that you think you are qualified to judge this. Most of us sinners are not.
SO WHAT!!!!!!
Well RA, since so many people here want to slam on you for pointing out a simple truth, I feel compelled to back you up.
Words mean things. The word “Christian” means “Of Christ”. The Bible is the book that Christians follow as the word of God. A Christian is a believer in the Bible. A Christian, by definition does not put the Book of Mormon, War and Peace or any other literary work at the forefront of their belief.
General comment: If anyone wants to address these issues without resorting to the leftist charge of “Bigotry”, lets have that conversation. But do not insult the intelligence of any thinking person by saying a group of people who follow an interpretation of Christianity at odds with the teachings of the Bible are “Christian”.
That’s not a statement of bigotry. It’s a fact.
Further, I find it pathetic that people perfectly comfortable with slamming Obama, Romney et all for living in fantasyland and rewriting history are seemingly comfortable with rewriting what Christianity itself “IS”. At no point in the Bible, the very basis of Christianity, does it say that we become Gods. A Christian cannot by definition believe in, much less ‘become’ any such God.
MORMONism is to CHRISTIANITY as a CALVINASAURUS is to a T-REX at the Smithsonian.
I think I’m betwixt and between on arguments as to Romney’s spiritual status. I can’t agree with some of what I know about the Mormon religion/faith but I do know Mormons who I am pleased with their societal actions and that certainly shows to me a body of people I believe as to this day and age would satisfy our Founders intent for this Nation. This belief does not necessarily extend to Romney at the moment. As a youth I was confirmed in a a very rigid Lutheran doctrine. My brother who was very athletic and I were chastised for having our names associated with the Catholic sports teams we played on for lack of enough players in our Lutheran School. I feel this breech of doctrinal behavior has kind of colored my attitude about religious differences even though I have faith and guidance in my Lutheran religious faith.
Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, He was miraculously born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem, he grew up in Nazareth, and he ultimately performed His ministry throughout Judea.
He was unjustly tried and convicted by the Romans and the Jews, and suffered on the Cross for all of our sins if we will come to Him, acknowledge Him as our Lord and Saviour, and accept the gift of His atonement. He arose the third day in a glorious resurrection and will return one day to this earth to make it His own.
I accept Him as my Savior, retired, with all my heart, and I witness and acknowledge His holy name as my Savior to you now. And I am LDS and have been for the last 42 years.
It is true we have differences in theology and interpretation...for example we believe all of us are God's children, and lived with Him before he sent us here through the womb. That He knew eachj of us before He formed us in the belly, just as He did Jeremiah in the Old Testament in Jeremiah Chpater One. That 1/3 of that host rebelled against God and that Lucifer was their leader. We also believe Jesus Christ fought the Serpent then and cast Him and his followers out of Heaven. This is spoken of in the Old Testament and referred to in the New Testament. That is the source for the saying that Christ was Lucifer's brother. It was in Spirit, in our faith, before the earth was ever created.
But that does not change a whit about the divinity of Christ, that He is the Son of God in the flesh and that He atoned for all of us.
I pray we can preserve our Republic, and my aim and goal is to help in that endeavor however I can. For my kids and grandkids sake. In memory and honor of my Father, a WW II naval combat officer of the PTO.
And my son in law, career Navy now who himself has been in harm's way for this Republic.
AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HIOSTORY
Again, thank you from my entire family for your service, and God's speed to you and yours.