Comments about ‘Evangelicals and Mormons: Can we talk?’

So long as Mormons maintain that theirs is the "one true church" and that all other religions are false, they're going to be at significant odds with other religions.

And because religions by their very nature refuse to permit the application of reason and objective evidence to any attempt to distinguish truth from fiction, sectarian conflicts are permanently intractable.

This explains Romney's failure to galvanize GOP support, and the general chaos within the party that has deliberately chosen to identify itself as "God's Own Party."

Doctrinal details, are they more important than the overall message of being Christ-like? Actions on both sides would say YES. It would do everyone well to remember that Mormons and Evangelicals have more in common than not.

"But the religious movements of historic Christianity on the one hand and Mormonism on the other do not recognize one another's movements as Christian."

Joseph Smith said the 'creeds' of those different Christian denominations were an abomination. But I know of no time when he or any other church leader suggested the followers of those denominations were not Christian. That claim is one-sided and lands squarely on the evangelical side of the argument.

"Different religious communities mean different things when they say words like 'Christ' and 'salvation' and 'Scripture' and 'God.'

I think that different religious communities, even non-Christian communities, ultimately mean the same thing when speaking of God â who is all powerful and the source of our salvation. Christ and specific scriptures differ between those communities but it is a common belief in a Deity that should bind the majority of the world's citizens together.

Luther, I would rather be governed by an honest and capable man of a different religious faith than by a corrupt and ineffective politician who attended my church. Actually Martin Luther: Rather be governed by a smart Turk(Mormon) than a dumb Christian..
There are significant differences Biblical between the Essentials of the Christian faith and Mormonism. A short list:
1.The Trinity. While there is only one God, He exists eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
2. Human Depravity Every human is spiritually separated from God, totally incapable of saving himself. Without a new birth no one can enter life.
3. Christâs Virgin Birth. Jesus was born as a result of a miracle. Through the Virgin Birth, Jesus did not inherit a sin nature.
4. Inspiration of Scripture. Inerrancy of scripture.
5. There is only one God, uncreated creator of all else. Creation Ex Nihlio.

Blue: "So long as Mormons maintain that theirs is the "one true church" and that all other religions are false, they're going to be at significant odds with other religions."

You state that as if no other Christian denomination holds the same view....

Blue, What I don't get is why would anyone belong to a church they didn't think was the "true church"? Assuming you belong to a church do you not think your's is the true church? We are taught all religions have some truth to them, Mormon's believe they have the full truth. So, what? How is that any skin off your nose?

"this is day of warning and not a day of many words."

@SamiAntha
There are churches who would say that those who follow the teachings of Christ go to heaven. They would recognize other religion's baptisms and what not. They don't feel the need to convert other Christians to their Christian view. Even the Catholics recognize other religious ordinances (not Mormon baptism noted).
So belonging to the ONE TRUE church is not a concern for many. Differentiate between THE ONE TRUE church and a true church.
Note also that Mormons don't validate anyone else's baptisms or ordinances, because they believe they are the true holders of the Restored Priesthood.
Get out of the mindset that you have to be a member of ONE sect to get to heaven, and you will be a better human being.

@ECR
"But I know of no time when he or any other church leader suggested the followers of those denominations were not Christian. "

Which one is more insulting, calling something an abomination or saying something is "not Christian"? You know how conservative LDS members say that communism is Satan's perversion of the law of consecration/united order? Well that's in effect how it feels to those whose faith is called an abomination. Basically "you're not just wrong, you're an offensive perversion of the gospel". Incidentally, that's what a lot of people think about the LDS church so it goes both ways.

@SamiAntha
"What I don't get is why would anyone belong to a church they didn't think was the "true church"?"

What if someone thought that no church was the "true church", i.e. they're christian but not in 100% alignment with any denomination and don't feel there is one that is true? Those people usually just go to the one they enjoy the most, or think is closest to being true, or wherever their spouse goes to.

According to Websters

Abomination - extreme disgust and hatred

And the LDS are concerned about being called "non-Christian"?

The Mormon church has become too political to be taken serious as a religion.

ECR says:

"I think that different religious communities, even non-Christian communities, ultimately mean the same thing when speaking of God â who is all powerful and the source of our salvation. "

---

Not really. Some of us are talking about Zeus and Hercules. Others are talking about Odin and Thor. Still others reference Zeus, and some reference Osiris. Large communities of Hindu's have many gods. Why should your's be the one referenced when "speaking of god"?

Arrogant people think that their god is the only source of salvation and they refuse to recognize other people's gods.

I think that more than just the Evangelicals and Mormons need to talk, why not include all these others?

ECR
Burke, VA
"But the religious movements of historic Christianity on the one hand and Mormonism on the other do not recognize one another's movements as Christian
There are significant differences Biblical between the Essentials of the Christian faith and Mormonism. A short list:
1.The Trinity. While there is only one God, He exists eternally in three Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
2. Human Depravity Every human is spiritually separated from God, totally incapable of saving himself. Without a new birth no one can enter life.
3. Christâs Virgin Birth. Jesus was born as a result of a miracle. Through the Virgin Birth, Jesus did not inherit a sin nature.
4. Inspiration of Scripture. Inerrancy of scripture.
5. There is only one God, uncreated creator of all else. Creation Ex Nihlio.

Fascinating how people who know they are correct are offended by others who think they are correct.

The only thing, as a Mormon, that I disagree with in this article is his assertion that Mormons don't consider other Christians to be truly Christian. We never say members of Christian denominations are not Christian.

Criticize the "true Church" angle all you want, because that's something Mormons actually say. But we won't say other Christian churches aren't Christian.

"2. Human Depravity Every human is spiritually separated from God, totally incapable of saving himself. Without a new birth no one can enter life.
3. Christâs Virgin Birth. Jesus was born as a result of a miracle. Through the Virgin Birth, Jesus did not inherit a sin nature. "

Those aren't even differences.

The LDS Church generally draws ire from members of other faiths because it has the audacity to proclaim some exclusivity on certain truths. It claims to have the living prophet. It claims to have the priesthood authority. It claims that its doctrine is divinely given.

It has never taught that members of other faiths are evil or that their views should not be respected, but it is adamant that there is only ONE true path to all the blessings that God has made available to His children.

In this world of relativism where any absolutes are frequently frowned upon, such a stance will draw both admiration and scorn. It is nothing we all haven't seen before. Moses was ridiculed by Pharaoh because he had the audacity to claim that the Hebrew God was the "One True God" and all the Egyptian gods were false. Christ was crucified by the Pharisees because He claimed to be the "One and only way".

It doesn't mean that everyone claiming to know the truth is right, but we should all think before ridiculing someone or something just for planting a stake in the ground. "By their fruits, ye shall know them".

Maybe people just don't trust Mitt? Ever thing of that? He's flip flopped too many times, has too many accounts in the Cayman Islands, and just doesn't relate to the average Joe Sixpack.

I grow tired of everyone bashing Evangelicals. What about the Mormons who mindlessly vote for Romney because he's Mormon?

So the whole religion thing is a wash to me. Some will not vote for him because of religion while others will.

Unfortunately, for Romney, he has to deal with all those other key issues. Likability, competency, if his ideals fit ours, leadership, ability to relate to the common man, etc. You know, those qualities that we want in a President.

Wow! Getting challenged by four commenters in a row is a new record for me.

atl134 said, "Which one is more insulting, calling something an abomination or saying something is not Christian?

I donât know the answer to that question. I just know that Joseph Smith never claimed that other Christian denominations were not Christian. Thatâs all.

JoeBlow: Thank you for the definition from Websters dictionary. Whatâs your point?

Ranchhand: I never suggested that my God should "be the one referenced when speaking of 'god'. Did I? I simply suggested that most people in the world believe in a supreme being and rather than let our different definitions of that drive a wedge between us we should use at a point of agreement.

donn â You've succeeded in quoting the author and then make some general statements that most people acknowledge. My statement simply suggested that there is only one side that believes the other is not Christian. Your statements reinforces that point.

'Evangelicals and Mormons: Can we talk?' - title

Of course they can.

However, everyone is 'blaming Obama'...

**'President Obama's purported 'weird'-Mormon strategy against Mitt Romney will backfire, pundits say' - By Hal Boyd, Deseret News - 08/10/11

...for the ACTIONS, of the Republican party.

**'Fox News host: Romney not Christian' - By Hal Boyd, Deseret News - 07/17/11

**Cult of Mormon comment leads Newt Gingrichs Iowa political director, Craig Bergman, to resign - By Tad Walch Deseret News 12/14/11

**Rick Santorum-backing pastor plays the Mormon cult card By Joseph Walker Deseret News 01/20/2012

**'Rick Perry backer decries Mitt Romney, Mormons' - By Jamshid Ghazi Askar, Deseret News - 10/08/11

"(Robert) Jeffress described Romney's Mormon faith as a 'cult,' and said evangelicals had only one real option in the 2012 primaries. ... Asked by Politico if he believed Romney is a Christian, Jeffress answered: 'No.' " - article