Having been raised as a Lutheran (Missouri Synod) I know that “orthodox” or “traditional” Christianity uses as their standard the “doctrine of the Trinity” as defined first by the Nicene “Creed”, not found written or taught any where in the Holy Bible, but developed several hundred years after the last Apostle, under the direction of the Roman Emperor Constantine.

Maybe it’s time to use the Holy Bible as the standard for defining Christianity?

Listen up,pastors,teachers,pew-sitters,etc.You don’t have to “feel strongly”,”somewhat strongly”,or anything in between-even a cursory examination will show that Mormonism is radically different from classic,historical,orthodox Christian faith-even Mormons admit that!! Unless the average Christian is ignorant of what he or she believes,no one should be confused about that,political correctness notwithstanding.While one doesn’t necessarily have to use the word “cult”to describe Mormonism in a perjorative sense,from a theological perspective the word is aptly descriptive.So…there you have it.Mormonism isn’t even monotheistic as is Christianity;it’s polytheistic to its core;that alone puts it outside the pale of Christian orthodoxy.—Stop being lazy,Christians!Know what you believe!!!!

You know, most people running for office who said they were Christians, weren’t Christians either. So maybe we should judge the man on what he says he believes about issues and what he has done in his life.

The confusion is that Christians and Mormons use the word “Christ,” as in their title, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.” However, their concept of what “Christ” means is simply different than the vast majority of Christians. The bottom line of what it means to be Christian is the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God in three persons. Jesus was God incarnate – a divine being born into a flesh-and-blood human being, who lived a human life and ws crucified. After ascending to heaven, he once again became God in spirit, not flesh. This is a complicated theology, and is indeed called a mystery, because it’s hard to explain, but it is ESSENTIAL to being Christian. There are lots of theologies that differ between Christian denominations, but all Christians share the Trinity, and if they don’t, they are not Christian. Mormons do not believe that Jesus was God incarnate; they believe that Jesus was a mortal human being, born of a mother and a father, and that Lucifer (Satan) was his brother. Further, they believe that Mormon men will become gods (and their wives, godesses) in heaven, and will be peers of Jesus and Lucifer. This is NOT Christian theology. It’s not a putdown; it’s just a fact. But having this conversation (or poll) without discussing the Trinity, is useless and misleading. Mormons are wonderful, moral people, and the best of neighbors, but they are not Trinitarians/Christians. Just ask them.

I am a 51 year old scientist residing in Endgland. I testify that Jesus is the Christ; He suffered agony in Gethsemane that my sins may be forgiven, and he died, rising again that I too may have eternal life. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a “Mormon”. Above all I am a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ. The fact that I follow a belief system which, to many, seems a bit alien or unusual, has eternal consequences for me and my family.
I don’t normally post my testimony on pages like this, but felt it needed to be shared.
According to our 11th article of faith, which contains the words: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may”, I wouldn’t proffer criticism regarding the worshipping habits and patterns of others, or the beliefs which they hold. May we all find the blessings we seek.

Kathleen O’Hagan, we are Christians. Whether you believe it or not, isn’t important. Truth is, that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, are Christian. If you’d like to share your personal beliefs it would be more convincing than for you to share what you merely think another religion believes. It is not responsible Christian behavior to speak on a topic that you are so unfamiliar with and call it fact. Speak about what you are and what you believe. That’s always more interesting than hearing one talk about something they know nothing about. Just real talk from a Christian, and I am Mormon.

[Great topic, Beliefnet. Saw this on the net. Note hints of LDS.]

The Living River of History

by Bruce Rockwell

Can you name a meandering river which can affect the 2012 US Presidential election? I can. And are you aware, as I am, that a Presidential candidate can be influenced by a 19th century teenager’s occultic “revelations”?
All humans are affected by the Living River of History. The “headwaters” of it was Adam, according to Judaism, Christianity, Islam and some other faiths.
In the Old Testament (Deut. 28) we find that “tributaries” (those who choose to be part of this River) will be blessed while “distributaries” (those choosing to flow away from it) will be cursed. Those deciding to be totally disconnected from the fresh Living River soon find themselves in polluted, dying “oxbow lakes.”
The OT period was notable for its fluidity: Israelites repeatedly flowing away from God and then repenting and returning back to Him numerous times; heathen “oxbow lakes” creating their own “gods” and being allowed by the true God to take into captivity the erring Israelites.
Then, at the right moment, came the arrival of the only One who could fulfill all of the OT’s detailed predictions of a future Messiah, His arrival happening before the 70 AD destruction of the Jewish temple which contained records proving that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham – records that would be unavailable to anyone after 70 AD who might falsely claim to be the long awaited Promised One. The same timely arrival guaranteed that the Living River, led by the One who offers “living water,” would take on new life.
Since the emergence in the 7th century of Islam – which drew greatly from both OT and NT, yet chose to be a distributary away from the River – many scholars have viewed it as the final “scourge” or Antichrist (note references like “Assyrian,” Euphrates,” “land of Nimrod” in Daniel, Micah, Revelation etc.).
The end-time Islamic “scourge” will be allowed by God to temporarily persecute and purify Jews and Christians who have “fallen away” from their faiths. (Jews, especially those in entertainment, are more expert in apostasy than Christians since they’ve been at it 2000 years longer than Christians have – but Christians seem to want to catch up to the Jews!)
I should add that Islam won’t play its predicted role all alone; it has more than enough oil money to “buy” leaders of foreign countries while at the same time bribing disloyal American leaders to turn against true American patriots.
Re the occultic “revelations” by a 19th century teenager (above) – who heavily “appropriated” many King James Bible verses in order to create one of the most delusive distributaries of all time – see the internet which has tons of data on this religious innovation of 1830.
Finally, if you ignore the God-ordained Living River of History or (much worse) try to destroy or even dilute it, you will be swept down it to an ocean made by your own never-ending tears of agony and despair!

It would have been more helpful if the questioner had at least attempted to define “Christian” in any meaningful way. As it stands, the poll is essentially worthless, since every person hearing the word “Christian” is capable of defining it in different ways.