ANSWERS: 5
  • Absolutely. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains that a Christian is one who follows the teachings of Christ. Since a sincere, practising adherent to any of these faiths would follow the teachings of Christ, they are considered Christian. Mormons do not believe they have a monopoly on the definition of the term "christian". They prefer an objective, inclusive definition.
  • This is another of those quick answer, long answer questions. In short, yes, the LDS Church teaches that all sincere followers of Christ are Christian on one level or another. Mormons have also spent a good deal of effort over the last several years working in tandem with other denominations, particularly those of an evangelical persuasion, on various social concerns. However, in Joseph Smith, Jr.'s First Vision - which came in response to his desire to know which church to join - he was told by Jesus Christ that none of the churches around his home was true, and that all had fallen into apostasy shortly after Christ's resurrection. He was later told to reinstate the one true priesthood. The Mormon Church maintains at this point that other Christian churches remain in apostasy, and that there is no valid priesthood other than the two-tiered Aaronic and Melchizedek system which was restored under Smith's leadership. In order to reach the Celestial Kingdom, the highest level of heaven, the LDS Church teaches that one must be a member of the Church and, -If male, be a priesthood holder, or, -If female, or below the age of reason, be connected to a priesthood holder by being sealed to him for time and eternity in a special temple ceremony. This means that, while the LDS Church maintains ecumenical ties to some other Christian groups, the theology of the Great Apostasy still prevents the acceptance of other Christian denominations as fully true or valid. That said, it is very important to note that one of the Articles of Faith of the Mormon Church states that Church members believe in the free exercise of religion for themselves and for all other people, and reject any infringement on the right of any person to reasonably practice as their faith dictates.
  • You decide. The following is from the Mormon books. "The Roman Catholic, Greek, and Protestant church is the great corrupt ecclesiastic power, represented by great Babylon which has made all nations drunk with her wickedness, and she must fall, after she has been warned with the sound of the everlasting gospel. Her overthrow will be by a series of the most terrible judgments which will quickly succeed each other, and sweep over the nations where she has her dominion, and at last she will be utterly burned by fire, for thus hath the Lord spoken. Great, and fearful, and most terrible judgments are decreed upon these corrupt powers, the nations of modern Christendom; for strong is the Lord God who shall execute His fierce wrath upon them, and He will not cease until He has made a full end, and until their names be blotted out from under heaven." - Apostle Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, p.84 - p.85 In 1958, LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie published Mormon Doctrine, a dictionary of theological concepts. The definition of "church of the devil'' was the Roman Catholic Church. And under "transubstantiation'' - the Catholic belief that communion bread and wine actually became Christ's body and blood - McConkie wrote in part: The doctrine is a sort of religious cannibalism which partakes measurably of the same spirit, and is enshrouded by the same blanket of satanic darkness, as the murderous blood drinking orgies of the most degenerate pagan peoples.'' Starting with the First Vision, Mormonism teaches that all churches except the Mormon Church are an abomination in the sight of God. "The present Christian world exists and continues by division. The MYSTERY of Babylon the great, is mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and it needs no prophetic vision, to unravel such mysteries. The old church is the mother, and the protestants are the lewd daughters. Alas! alas! what doctrine, what principle, or what scheme, in all, what prayers, what devotion, or what faith, `since the fathers have fallen asleep,' has opened the heavens; has brought men into the presence of God; and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to an innumerable company of angels? The answer is, not any: `There is none in all christendom that doeth good; no, not one.' - Apostle John Taylor, Times and Seasons, Vol.6, No.1, p.811
  • These men did not speak for the LDS church.They were expressing their own opinions based on some bitterness they had for somc christian groups who were led by men who advocated the murdering of Mormons, in some cases. It's amazing to me how mean spirited some guys can be and they are found in virtually all groups and types of religions. I suppose they thought they were justified in their thinking, but I disagree with anyone who attacks another religious group in a hateful manner. That's not what Christianity is about.
  • Historically, the LDS church has taken a schizophrenic stance toward other Christian sects, sometimes attacking, other times respecting. In the last few decades, however, it has made efforts at rapproachement. Officially, the LDS church would say Catholics, Protestants, etc., are Christians, but privately, many Mormons would qualify the label.

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