Why Do Christians Say Mormons Are Not Christian?

[Bat-Man]

Everyone misinterprets scripture somewhere it seems.

Not everyone. There are a few who do or will get it all right, it seems.

... but since that number is and will be so few from all of us, I can see how it could seem as if everyone does or will get it wrong somewhere.

[johnny]

emeliza

But we don't believe that faiths that think He is without form are not Christian, we just think they misunderstand or misinterpret scripture. Everyone misinterprets scripture somewhere it seems.

Interesting â?¦ so Mormons would consider non-Mormons as Christians who are part of â??false Christianityâ?. ...

So are these non-Mormon Christians true Christians or false Christians if they are part of â??false Christianityâ??

[Aquilifer]

consiglieri

It appears one the tenets of true Christianity for Mormonism is that God is a being with a form since the Mormon Church teaches that false Christianity believes that God was a being without form or substance.

No, our theology concerning the nature of God differs from those who hold that He is a being without form or substance.

I think your post is emblematic of the problem the miscommunication problems the "Mormons vs. Christians" issue poses. We don't hold to a black and white "true Christianity" vs "false Christianity", nor do we think that doctrinal errors disqualify one from being categorized as a Christian.

[johnny]

Aquilifer

I think your post is emblematic of the problem the miscommunication problems the "Mormons vs. Christians" issue poses. We don't hold to a black and white "true Christianity" vs "false Christianity", nor do we think that doctrinal errors disqualify one from being categorized as a Christian.

Your words appear to differ with what the Mormon Church teaches, it appears the Mormon teaches a black and white â??true Christianityâ?, the Mormon Gospel Principles teaches that "... false Christianity ... believed that God was a being without form or substance."

[Aquilifer]

Aquilifer

Your words appear to differ with what the Mormon Church teaches, it appears the Mormon teaches a black and white â??true Christianityâ?, the Mormon Gospel Principles teaches that "... false Christianity ... believed that God was a being without form or substance."

No, our approach is much more subtle than that. We believe that we have truth. We believe that you have some truth. We invite you to bring your truth with you and mingle it with our truth.

I think you're projecting your binary mindset to our teachings when you insist on black and white, true and false.

And you've overlooked my major point, which is that we believe that you are a Christian, even if you are in error. If we taught that you are a "false Christian", by definition we would not consider you Christian at all, now would we?

[emeliza]

emeliza

Interesting â?¦ so Mormons would consider non-Mormons as Christians who are part of â??false Christianityâ?. ...

So are these non-Mormon Christians true Christians or false Christians if they are part of â??false Christianityâ??

I don't believe the others are false Christianity just because they don't believe the same as I do. I believe they might be lacking a bit in some areas, but I also believe we have much to learn from them as well.

[Flyonthewall]

Aquilifer

Your words appear to differ with what the Mormon Church teaches, it appears the Mormon teaches a black and white â??true Christianityâ?, the Mormon Gospel Principles teaches that "... false Christianity ... believed that God was a being without form or substance."

I suppose you can set up a dichotomy where either everything is 100% true or 100% false, but that doesn't quite fit the situations.

We have always stated that there is a measure of truth in all sects, whether large or small, and in the strictest sense you can argue that it's either right or wrong, but I would use the term "true" as meaning "accurate" or "complete". I would say non-LDS teachings have inaccuracies or are incomplete.

[Ms. Jack]

They say you are not Christians because that is a stupid and round-about way of expressing their belief that your defining doctrines are heretical and/or you are not saved.

If a day ever comes when evangelicals learn to drop the distracting semantics war for the word "Christian" and just stick to the issue of why the LDS church is wrong, I'll be very, very happy.

[johnny]

emeliza

I don't believe the others are false Christianity just because they don't believe the same as I do. I believe they might be lacking a bit in some areas, but I also believe we have much to learn from them as well.

So â?¦ would you then consider â??the othersâ? true Christianity?

[emeliza]

emeliza

So â?¦ would you then consider â??the othersâ? true Christianity?

I can't speak for other Mormons as I tend to have my own skewed views. I have a slight universal bend to my beliefs. For myself yes.

I believe they all have truth. I believe every Christian church out there that I know of leans on the teachings of Christ and His principles. You know~ love, charity, humility, unity and all that jazz. Some practice it better than others by far. However doctrinally, I think the LDS Church has it the most correct (which is part of why I am a member). But I don't think that means the other churches are all wrong or that the LDS Church is all right. I just think the LDS Church is more right.

Edit: And I think Catholics are groovy. They have had a lot of time to work on and perfect many forms of worship.

[DH]

My initial urge was to answer the question by saying "Because they're bigots." However, as an organization we really don't have room to complain. Back in BY's day, the LDS claimed that nobody else were real Christians and made a huge deal of it. It's only fair play for them to turn the tables on us! I still don't like it, though, and wish that everybody would stop excluding everybody else and join together instead to solve various pressing problems we all face, and have peace, luuuv, and rainbows.

[ttribe]

I can't speak for other Mormons as I tend to have my own skewed views. I have a slight universal bend to my beliefs. For myself yes.

I believe they all have truth. I believe every Christian church out there that I know of leans on the teachings of Christ and His principles. You know~ love, charity, humility, unity and all that jazz. Some practice it better than others by far. However doctrinally, I think the LDS Church has it the most correct (which is part of why I am a member). But I don't think that means the other churches are all wrong or that the LDS Church is all right. I just think the LDS Church is more right.

Edit: And I think Catholics are groovy. They have had a lot of time to work on and perfect many forms of worship.

I'd say my perspectives echo these sentiments and I happen to be a "lifetime" member of the Church (albeit rather atypical in my background). The fact of the matter is I have a personal policy of taking at face value any person's claim to Christianity - beyond the core issue of accepting Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of the World, and the only means by which salvation can be obtained, who am I to judge whether someone else is really a Christian or not?

[blueadept]

My initial urge was to answer the question by saying "Because they're bigots." However, as an organization we really don't have room to complain. Back in BY's day, the LDS claimed that nobody else were real Christians and made a huge deal of it.

One of my wife's hang ups when I reference the past and that I only look at the bad part and asks what about the good done now. Acknowledging the past by LDS members AND having critics not being stuck in the past and moving on, would at least be at least a starting point.

It's only fair play for them to turn the tables on us! I still don't like it, though, and wish that everybody would stop excluding everybody else and join together instead to solve various pressing problems we all face, and have peace, luuuv, and rainbows.

Sounds good to me!

[Bat-Man]

My initial urge was to answer the question by saying "Because they're bigots." However, as an organization we really don't have room to complain. Back in BY's day, the LDS claimed that nobody else were real Christians and made a huge deal of it. It's only fair play for them to turn the tables on us! I still don't like it, though, and wish that everybody would stop excluding everybody else and join together instead to solve various pressing problems we all face, and have peace, luuuv, and rainbows.

And now a word from a sponsor, about

[consiglieri]

emeliza

So â?¦ would you then consider â??the othersâ? true Christianity?

Why is it I am starting to think Akboy is Johnny's sockpuppet?

[Akboy]

The problem with this question is Mormons and the critics have different definitions of the term "Christian." I'm not talking about doctrine. The difference is more fundamental to that. It's more about the English language than doctrine.

Most dictionaries define "Christian" as something like someone who follows Christ's teachings and example. The problem those definitions are a little too vague.

Mormons, in general, assume a Christian is someone who believes they are following Christ's teaching and example. Since Catholics, Baptists, Protestants and Mormons are believe they are following Christ, then they are considered Christian.

Critics have a slightly different definition. They assume a Christian is someone who follows Christ's example and teachings accurately, as he taught them. Since Baptists and Mormons contradict each other on the basics of what Christ taught, they can't both be accurate. So they believe the one that isn't following Christ accurately isn't a Christian.

I've heard Mormons say other churches have some truth, but not the full truth. They say the LDS church has the full truth and is God's true church. Critics are saying basically the same thing when they Mormons aren't Christian. They're not saying Mormons are completely wrong, just missing some essential truths. They're saying a church needs the full truth to be Christian. So Mormons say they're the true church and others aren't, and the critics say they're Christians and others aren't. It's basically the same claim with different terms.

[johnny]

consiglieri

Why is it I am starting to think Akboy is Johnny's sockpuppet?

The Mormon Church teaches that "false Christianity" believes God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are "false Christianity" since Catholics believe God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are false or true Christians since Catholics are "false Christianity" according to what the Mormon Church teaches?

[Akboy]

Why is it I am starting to think Akboy is Johnny's sockpuppet?

No, I don't know Johnny. I guess we just have just have similar questions.

[ERMD]

consiglieri

The Mormon Church teaches that "false Christianity" believes God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are "false Christianity" since Catholics believe God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are false or true Christians since Catholics are "false Christianity" according to what the Mormon Church teaches?

Once again, you start telling LDS what they believe (according to you) rather than listening and accepting what they tell you they believe.

My response? Boundary maintenance was mentioned. Additionally, I think it's a effort to poison the well. If a group (maybe an evangelical group, let's just say) wanted to convince someone to avoid looking into the LDS church altogether (regardless of their motivations), that group would likely try to distort the beliefs of the LDS church to make them seem so far-fetched that the targeted individual would stay far away. After presenting such distortions or after having been exposed to such distortions for a long enough period of time, they would accept them at face value.

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

consiglieri

The Mormon Church teaches that "false Christianity" believes God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are "false Christianity" since Catholics believe God has no form.

Do you think Catholics are false or true Christians since Catholics are "false Christianity" according to what the Mormon Church teaches?

Um it isnt quite like that at all.

We believe that you have a misunderstanding of God, but you are still Christian.

Do you have to understand everything about God perfeclty to be a Christian?

[consiglieri]

consiglieriThe Mormon Church teaches that "false Christianity" believes God has no form.Do you think Catholics are "false Christianity" since Catholics believe God has no form.Do you think Catholics are false or true Christians since Catholics are "false Christianity" according to what the Mormon Church teaches?

I guess I look at things differently than you, Johnny. I do not think Catholics are "false Christianity."

I have never even heard a Mormon speak of another church in those terms--"False Christians" or "False Christianity."

I believe Catholics are Christians with a different view of some doctrines than I have. I generally tend to think that where they are different from me, they are likely not correct, but that does not equate in my mind with Catholics being "false Christians" and certainly not "non-Christians."

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

Do you have to understand everything about God perfeclty to be a Christian?

I would hope not, or nobody would ever be a Christian.

[Akboy]

Um it isnt quite like that at all.

We believe that you have a misunderstanding of God, but you are still Christian.

Do you have to understand everything about God perfeclty to be a Christian?

EVs don't say you have to understand God perfectly to be a Christian. They say you have to understand the basic fundamentals of God and His teachings. If you don't understand them, then you can't follow them. And if you're not following those teachings, the basic teachings of Christ, you're not a Christian. That's the message.

[johnny]

consiglieri

I do not think Catholics are "false Christianity."

So ... Catholics are true Christianity.

I have never even heard a Mormon speak of another church in those terms--"False Christians" or "False Christianity."

Why then does the Mormon Church teach "... false Christianity ... believed that God was a being without form or substance." (Mormon Gospel Principles Chapter 16) ?

[Mola Ram Suda Ram]

I would hope not, or nobody would ever be a Christian.

This seems to be what Johnny and AKboy are claiming. That you ahve to have the correct understanding of who God is.

And just what is the "correct understanding". That to me means that you would need a perfect understanding, to have the correct understanding.

[consiglieri]

consiglieri

So ... Catholics are true Christianity.

Perhaps I am not being pellucid.

The fact that I don't hate you, Johnny, should not be interpreted to mean I am madly in love with you.

Capiche?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri