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Theologian-in-chief? Romney's speech spurs questions about faith

It is my understanding that the Christian Right disagrees with the Catholics as much as they do with the Mormons. Yet they believe in the Catholics' Nicean Creed. Perhaps the Christian Right has their wires crossed.

The Nicene Creed�s definition of the Trinity was influenced by scribes translating the Greek manuscripts into Latin. The scribes embellished on a passage explaining the Trinity , which is the Catholic and Protestant belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The oldest versions of the epistle of 1 John, read: "There are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water and the blood and these three are one."

Scribes later added "the Father, the Word and the Spirit," and it remained in the epistle when it was translated into English for the King James Version, according to Dr. Bart Ehrman, Chairman of the Religion Department at UNC- Chapel Hill. He no longer believes in the Nicene Trinity. .

Scholars agree that Early Christians believed in an embodied God; it was neo-Platonist influences that later turned Him into a disembodied Spirit. Harper�s Bible Dictionary entry on the Trinity says �the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the New Testament.�

Divinization, narrowing the space between God and humans, was part of Early Christian belief. St. Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox) wrote, regarding theosis, "The Son of God became man, that we might become God." Check out Athanasius or theosis in Wikipedia.

I feel that it's not Mitt's job to preach the gospel of Mormonism. That to me is what they the evangeletics are trying to get him do and then use that against him. Hmmm I think they know how to read so my suggestion is that if you want to know about Mormonism read and study a little. Then maybe say a small prayer you know how to do that don't you.

Some idiot, somewhere misunderstood the whole doctrine of Mormonism and it got into some Bible School and it was perpetuated in falsity and ignorance from that time forward.

The ignorance is dizzying.

Well if the Evangelicals hate us then we must be doing something right!!!

The thing is, if all the other religions are wrong, as we have been taught, why do we give a flip about what they believe? We know the truth, we have the truth. They are all lost and need the good news that only the LDS faith is true. Isn't that our message of restoration? I'm so sick of the push to make LDS folks "Christian". We are Restored! Not Christian... not like the rest of them. If we should be pushing anything, it is that we are the only Christians... not that we are among the ranks of those in need of restoration.

Call it like it is: We are NOT "Christian" in the way the rest of Christianity defines the word. Our message is that they are wrong and need restoration. Why then do we want to be included among their count? It is a simple matter of equivocation. We believe we are the only true "Christians" and they say they are Christians. We should be saying they aren't Christians because they don't believe in the precious truths revealed by our prophets.

So Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. While he was baptized his father spoke from heaven and the holy ghost descended as a dove. How much more is there to understand. 3 separate beings. There are numerous instances of this throughout the scriptures. There are also scriptures that say he is one with his father. One in purpose is which makes total sense. 3 beings... one purpose. Jesus is my savior. God sacrificed his son for the sins of all mankind. This thing with Mitt Romney is just pure old fashioned bigotry. Mitt is a great man and deserves to be looked at no matter what his religious beliefs are.

Ir's all politics. I would be a lot more concerened about the religion or lack of it of the other candidates than I would of Mitt's.

I do not think it is Mitt's job to keep telling what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe. He is not running for a religious appointment. He is running for President of the United States of America. Will he follow the laws of the land? Will he lead with dignity and respect? Will he listen to the people and make the best choices he can? Will he bring honor to the United States? I feel the answer is yes to each one of these. He honors his wife, his children, and from what I have heard did that for the lovely state of Massachutes. I think religion is not in play with this except is he a good Man who has good solid convictions, can he make good decisions, can he help the economy, help with health care, etc. He has experience of his own. Also what he learned growing up from his Father was of great value.

Choose 1. Will you accept the CREEDS of MEN, from a position of political expediency? Or will you accept the witness of 1 man's vision on FAITH? As for the label of Christian...ask yourself, in the eternities, will you be able to stand before God himself, who told you that he would judge you with the same judgment you give, and tell him you rejected an entire group of people who professed faith in the saving power of his Son on very questionable grounds? I would not want to be there. If there is an equal amount of evidence of 3 seperate beings in the Godhead as there is 1 in 3, why is it Latter Day Saints don't condemm the other believers to Hell? I would suggest they don't because THEY are the real Christians. By their fruits ye shall know them. The fruit of the evangelical is bitter indeed.

It is deceptive for any Mormon to compare the LDS doctrine of exaltation (Godhood) with Theosis. Eastern Orthodox scholars have made it very clear that there is no comparison. Augustine never taught what Mormons are led to believe, and Mormons who continue to perpetuate this myth should be ashamed of themselves. Furthermore, anybody who thinks a rewrite of 1 John was necessary to arrive at a Trinitarian concept of the godhead, needs to read some good books on the subject. Ehrman? You gotta be kidding.

When the LDS Church said jump, Hatch pole vaulted. Why should citizens think differently of Romney? Do I believe him or do I look at Hatch and Smoot? Tough question.

I'm sick to death of reading and hearing about the bigotry, narrow mindedness, prejudice, bias,and, worst of all, the hypocrisy, coming through in this election. Those who call themselves Christians, no matter their church affiliation, who turn around and publicly criticize and condemn those of a different faith are the worst hypocrits of all. Christ did not teach, exemplify, or condone any of these kinds of behavior! As the old saying goes, "There are none so blind as those who will NOT see."

All of this hoopla is being stirred up by preachers who's lifestyle and livelihood necessitate "enemies among us" and attacks on God in order to fill the donation plates that line their pockets. They knowingly distort the truth about our beliefs to create rallying points, or at best perpetuate them in an unchristian manner for money. The fact of the matter is that if they (the Evangelists) don't get behind an electable candidate, they're going to be a lot worse off than having an "evil" "cultist" Mormon running the country.
And where are the noble among us? Why isn't there more of a non-Mormon outcry at this bigotry? Where are our friends from Louisiana (Katrina), Thailand (tsunami), California (fires), Peru (earthquake)? The silence is more painful than the sound of hate.

How Mormons can take theological disagreements and turn that into hatred and bigotry for the Mormon people just amazes me. For those who so glibly like to throw out that accusation, let me ask you, when Brigham Young said, �Should you ask why we differ from other Christians, as they are called, it is simply because they are not Christians as the New Testament defines Christianity,� was he being a bigot?�

When President John Taylor said, "What does the Christian world know about God? Nothing...Why so far as the things of God are concerned, they are the veriest of fools; they know neither God nor the things of God,� was he being a bigot?

When President George Q. Cannon said, �"After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, there were only two churches upon the earth. They were known respectively as the Church of the Lamb of God and Babylon. The various organizations which are called churches throughout Christendom, though differing in their creeds and organizations, have one common origin. They all belong to Babylon,� was he being a bigot?

Mormon history is full of quotes like these.

thank you, nice article

So, if Christ is not now a resurrected being with a tangible body, why did he make a point to eat food with his apostles and invite them to touch his body and confirm he was not just a spirit? And what did he do with that glorified, resurrected body--dump it off on his way back to heaven? The bigotry towards Mormonism is all fueled by ministers whose paychecks diminish a bit whenever one of their flock is touched by the spirit brought into their lives by two young men on bicycles.

When it comes to Christianity, Catholicism is now and ever will be #1.
Live with it.

Doug, your frustration reflects the realities of a Church that once took pride in it's truthfulness and uniqueness despite the persecution it received for that bold testimony - but that now puts all else behind acceptance and political correctness. There has been enough whitewashing the past 25 years to re-paint the 'Y' a thousand times over. The Church under Joseph Smith and Brigham Young was vastly different in both doctrine and how it was willing to be viewed from the Public Relations driven Church of today. And since we believe we are guided by revelation we all better enthusiastically jump on the public relations - image driven plan of today!!