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But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
 
Galatians 1:8
Romney, Mormonism, & Christianity
 
Aren't Mormons Christians?

October 9, 2011
Greetings!

 

On Friday, October 7th, at the Values Voter Summit in Washington D.C. the issue of Mitt Romney's Mormon faith surfaced when Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, mentioned the word "cult" in response to a reporter's question .  Jeffress' use of the word 'cult', was used by reporters to get a reaction from the other Presidential candidates. Their response was probably more revealing than anything else they said at the Summit.

 

Former Senator Rick Santorum said "he does not believe Mormonism is a cult, and believes Romney is a Christian."

 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said, "I think that none of us should sit in judgment on somebody's else's religion and I thought it was very unwise and very inappropriate," also saying that "he thinks Mormons are Christians."

 

Herman Cain, appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," said, "I believe that they believe they're Christians." 

 

Representative Michele Bachmann, said "the issue is about religious tolerance, not someone's faith," adding, "This is not what people are talking about."  

 

Texas Rep. Ron Paul also disagreed with Jeffress saying, the comment was "unnecessary", adding, "I think liberty is the issue of the day. Our Constitution is the issue of the day. And too much government -- that is the issue of the day. It's not the definition of a cult."

 

Governor Rick Perry's campaign spokesman, backpeddling from the issue, and demonstrating either a lack of spine, ignorance, or Perry's, said Perry "does not believe Mormonism is a cult."

 

So is Mormonism a 'cult' or is it not?  Are Mormon's Christians, or not?  Do the answers to these questions have any bearing on who we should select as our next President, or not? 

 

Compare Orthodox Christianity with Mormon doctrine and belief.

Mormonism vs. Christianity
 

Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith who was born in Vermont in 1805. Smith claimed to have had a vision at the age of 15 in which two "personages" appeared and told him that all the "sects" of Christianity "were all wrong" and "that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight," thus the basis for starting his own church. Red flag #1

By simple logic therefore, from the very beginning of Mormonism, none of the biblical doctrines, archeological proofs, nor witness of the Saints traced through both Old and New Testaments by Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic scholars for nearly 4 millennia should have been trusted, nor can be trusted now, or so claims Joseph Smith fully 1800 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Red flag #2

Such an assertion, claiming them to be 'an abomination,' raises the issue of who the 'personages' were who spoke to him in this supposed 'vision.'  If they were indeed from God, then all those witnesses down through the millennia, including the Patriarchs, the Prophets, and Jesus Himself, including the testimony of the Saints throughout history, and the Holy Spirit Himself, were not just suspect, but totally misled by a different spirit. Red flag #3
Gold Plates and Egyptian Hieroglyphics
 

If that is insufficient to the reasonable and thoughtful mind, Smith claimed that three years later he had another vision about gold plates that revealed the 'true gospel'; plates that were never found, but which Smith claimed he found three years later and translated into (King James) English from "Egyptian hieroglyphics." (There is no evidence that Smith had any training whatsoever in 'Egyptian hieroglyphics.) Furthermore, why would God choose 'Egyptian hieroglyphics', or King James English for that matter?  This became the "Book of Mormon" published in 1830. Red flag #4.

A work of plagiarism

 
H. Michael Marquardt in his research of the Book of Mormon says that it is a "work of plagiarism" of the King James Bible, citing 200 examples of New Testament phrases and quotations used for what Smith purported "to have been written during the Old Testament period." 

Smith's translation of the Bible, called the 'Inspired Version' contains 3,410 Bible verses that were altered from the KJV. Red flag $5

How to be gods

 

Smith claimed that his visions continued and in a April 1844 funeral message read by thousands, said, "You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves...by going from a small degree to another, from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you are to sit in glory as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power", a works based doctrine of salvation and denial of essential Christian Doctrine. Red flag #6

Comparing Mormonism with Biblical Christianity

 

  • Mormons believe many gods exist.
  • Christians believe there is One God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  • Mormons believe there are four holy books; The Mormon Bible, The Book of Mormon, Doctrines and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
  • Christians believe there is only one book, the Bible, made up of 66 books.
  • Mormons deny original sin.
  • Christians believe all mankind sin as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve.
  • Mormons believe Jesus was the firstborn spirit child of a heavenly father and heavenly mother, and that he is the brother of Lucifer. 
  • Christians believe that Jesus is God's perfect and only begotten Son, holy, divine, the second person of the Trinity yet fully human. 
  • Mormons believe salvation includes faith but also specific works done within the Mormon Church.
  • Christians believe that salvation is by God's grace through faith in Christ's death on the Cross, not by works of any kind.
  • Mormons believe that all people enter one of three different kingdoms upon death based on their works and that people can become gods or goddesses.
  • Christians believe that all people will enter either heaven or hell based on whether they have placed their faith in Christ and Christ alone for their salvation, and not in their works 

Mormonism is not Christian

 

The evidence is overwhelming to the reasonable and objective mind, that Joseph Smith was being led not by the Spirit of God but by a different Spirit altogether.  The Mormon religion, by it's own teachings, cannot in any manner be considered "Christian." Just the opposite. It is a false religion led by a different spirit, not of God.

 

To quote John Ankerberg in his book, "What Do Mormons Really Believe? ",  "Mormonism believes in multiple gods, different holy books, a different Jesus, and different views of sin, salvation, and the afterlife. The Bible clearly teaches that any group that teaches a different view of salvation and of Jesus than that presented in the Bible is a non-Christian movement. It is not just "another way to God."

 

The pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, was correct, whether the Presidential candidates or the media, or anyone else begs to differ. The facts are the facts.

 

Whether Michelle Bachman thinks this is not what people are talking about or not, it is what they are thinking about, and not to be underestimated when it comes to the voting booth.

 

Whether Ron Paul understands where liberty comes from or not, the issue is only partly the Constitution.  The underlying issue is what one believes about the truth, and the author of truth, whose teachings form the underlying principles of our Constitution.

 

Whether Newt Gingrich thinks it was "unwise and very inappropriate", I disagree. No member of a cult, having agreed with it's false foundation and deceptive teachings, can be good for the restoration of America "under God".  John Jay, first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court said,

 

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." 

 

Thus may it be, LORD.
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