3/14 To the fellow who believes Mormons are not Christian, and wonders
why Mormons believe they are: I believe we are having a problem
of defintion. So, I will seek to define the word Christian. The
first definition on http://www.dictionary.com Christian: "Professing
belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the
life and teachings of Jesus." By this definition, Mormons are
obviously Christian. Since this is the widely accepted
definition of Christian, Mormons will argue that they are Christian.
Apparently you have a different definition, I would like to know
what it is. -jrleek
\_ Preposterous. Islam believes that Jesus existed and was a prophet.
I doubt any Muslim would call themselves Christians. Your
thinking fails. Also, religion is a complex, messy subject.
You can't simply whip out an internet dictionary and
try to "define" Christianity. You should cease attempting
to define things you know little or nothing about. -- williamc
\_ in the Mormon religion, who is Jesus Christ? And who is God?
\_ I'm not sure I follow your question.
\_ Well, it says "following the religion based on...". This religion
is pretty well established in its various forms. Mormons add a
large other set of religious stuff, incidentally not unlike Islam
in my view. So there it is. I'm not a Christian btw.
\_ Fine, and it's not like I haven't noticed the similarity
myself. But we don't believe Christ was just another
prophet. He is/was the son of God, and out connection to
the father. Our church is based on his teachings. The
additions are simply as restoration of what was lost, not
new additions.
\_ Christians believe that Jesus *was* God. This is a
fundamental tenet that Mormons reject.
\_ Not "God", "God the Son". Very important.
\_ This has been the basis of "heresy" from the Church
in many forms. Some say God the Son, some say Son
of God, some say God as Son, and some say Son
become God.
\_ They are new additions to the religion. No other
Christians accept them. None. Only Mormons. This makes
Mormons unique. It's not like a denomination. It's an
entirely new religion. Someone else pointed out how
Christianity and Judaism and Islam are related. In the
same way Mormons are related to Christianity, but they
are not Christians. They have fundamental teachings and
beliefs that Christianity rejects. Here is one web site
to read, but there are others. The definition you use is
too broad, because the "life and teachings of Jesus" are
at the center of the debate:
http://www.reachouttrust.org/regulars/articles/lds/lds01.htm
\_ You just don't get it. The "new" things are those that
were there in the first place, but lost in the translation.
JS rediscovered them. In a sense, only the Mormons are
complete, whole christians. The other ones are missing
parts.
\_ Not to meantion, this link is wrong in many respects.
It is full of red herrings and non-cannon (and wrong)
references. Not to meantion as far as I can tell
the intro has nothing to do with the body
or conclusion. This debate is stupid anyway.
There are equally huge differences between say,
Catholics and 7th day Adventists. Are Mormons unique?
Of course. Are Mormons Christian? Of course. I still
want to see your definition of what makes a religion
Christian. Does it have to accept the Niciean creed?
Does it have to be logically consistant? What?
-jrleek
\_ Simply that they don't add a bunch of *new* holy dogma,
certainly not to the point that they add a whole new
holy book. I'd say no re: nicene creed, as that
involves interpretation and church structure.
\_ More to the point, do you consider the Gnostics to be
Christians? If you do, then the Mormons are also
Christians. If not, then just about anyone not Catholic
doesn't count as a Christian.
\_ Well I'd say Gnosticism may be different enough so as to
not be what is called Christianity. If history had been
different and Gnosticism spread everywhere then perhaps
that is what we'd call Christian. But it didn't. |