I Am a Mormon and a Christian

I am a Mormon. I know I am a Christian because though people can nit-pick about little specifics, I try every day to be more like Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior and Friend. I try to be kind, charitable, forgiving, and to serve those around me. I try to better understand the scriptures (Bible included!!) and seek to know God better through prayer. I know that without Jesus Christ's Atonement, perfection would never be possible, and I know its a long road, but with Him I will get there someday (though probably not in this life). So you can argue all you wish. But I know I am a Christian. Both my Heavenly Father and my Savior, who know me, know I am a Christian. And that is enough.

@ Kathleen - There are so many logical gaps in your comments above, I wouldn't know where to begin even if I did have the time to respond to them all - which I don't! But, I don't think it would matter if I did. Since you don't seem to believe that any member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' opinion on the issue should be considered - no matter how well-reasoned and well-written... I will share a quote from C.S. Lewis instead - a prominent Christian non-member of our faith - to speak to the real issue at hand. He said this: “Once we allow people to start spiritualizing and refining, or as they might say ‘deepening’ the sense of the word Christian…it will become a useless word….It is not for us to say who, in the deepest sense, is or is not close to the spirit of Christ. We do not see into men’s hearts. We cannot judge…It would be wicked arrogance for us to say that any man is, or is not, a Christian.” That, to me, is what is at the heart of this issue.

My confusion with the "Are Mormons Christian?" question comes from my understanding that Mormons believe in three levels of Heaven, polygamy as part of the Celestial Kingdom, and the goal of becoming a God/Goddess of your own planet.

Ashley's point about the Temple is a good one, too. You can't go to the highest level of Heaven to be with God and Jesus unless you go to the Temple, right? Jesus certainly didn't mention that when he was all "I am the way".

nope.

Also, Mormons believe their acts and covenants hold part in their salvation and ticket to heaven. I've read t he bible to be NOT based on acts and deeds but rather on the acceptance of and relationship with Christ. Deeds don't get ya in, but they keep you in or out of the Temple.

??? Heaven or Temple? Methinks I'll take Heaven without all the HUMAN mandated deeds to get me in the club....

My biggest question in considering this is: if the last chapter in Revelation states that no other book shall be in as high regard as the Bible....how do Mormons say they are Christians when the Book of Mormon seems to be held in an almost *higher* regard? And what's the big deal with labels? I don't want to be labeled Mormon, Christian, Buddhist or otherwise. I am a person, and I deserve as much respect for my beliefs as the next person, regardless. Just because my beliefs do not fit your little label perfectly, does not mean I don't identify myself with the same ideals you do.

Joseph Smith did not want to be called a Christianm saying they were, ". . .all wrong...all their creeds were an abomination in his sight, and that those professors (Christians) were all corrupt." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith, 2:18-19)

The blog referred to by Jami is a mormon blog. Doctinal issues of Christianity are best answered by The Bible, not by people paraphrasing or interpreting The Bible: the Word of God - The Alpha and Omega.

This blog post clears up a lot of the doctrinal differences that are being discussed here: http://josephantley.com/2011/10/11/are-mormons-chr...

@Life's--That is a very unfortunate example for you to have had about the LDS church :( @Rod--So you don't feel like you're not getting an answer (again ;), the temple (where LDS couples are married for time and eternity) is the most sacred place on the earth to us and we hold it so sacred that only those who have made specific covenants with God, and are worthy because they keep those covenants, can enter there. Non-members are very much invited to attend chuch meetings, baptisms, and other activities. Again, www.mormon.org is a fantastic place to have questions answered :)

Just throwing this out there: I once had a supervisor that was Mormon. One day she was complaining to us that a classmate of her son's had invited him to go to church with his family that Sunday...to a "Christian" church. She was totally against it. A co-worker asked her what difference did it make as long as it was a Christian church. Her reply? "No, he's not going, why should I let him go to a Christian church, we're Mormon."

Brooke: I think that we agree on some basic fundamentals. One point that I think may not be clear is that Mormons do believe in the trinity and in the divinity of Christ. Of course Christ is God. The distinction in LDS (Mormon) doctrine is that we believe The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost to be separate and distinct members of the Godhead. There is no question of their divinity and Godhood.
The other thing I agree with you on is that as Christians we should leave the judging to God.

also-- what does it matter for our president? if a president's religious choice is that important to how you vote... i'm concerned as a citizen.

I absolutely agree, Denise. I think these conversations are fascinating, and I'm always open to learning about and hearing others' perspectives. I think we run into trouble when we start believing that we're somehow all going to agree on ONE answer. I am still curious about official definitions about what true Christians believe and what true Mormons believe... if there is such a thing!

Brooke lol well I asked because it's a confusing issue to a great many people. And more importantly, it's an issue used to divide people and to cause groups of people to attack, judge, and alienate others. - Denise

LOL, Eleanore. Because Denise asked. :)

I don't even know why it matters

Della: It is my understanding that believing in the Trinity is indeed what it takes to be a Christian. The implication that people are just "making up" definitions of Christianity to be spiteful or exclusionary is not necessary. There are simply some fundamentals that are Christian by definition. I do not beleive, from what I've been taught by various churches including the Catholic Church, that one can be "Christian" while believing that Jesus is not also God as well as the son of God. One can certainly follow the teachings of the Christian church in other ways, but I believe this belief in the trinity is indeed Christian by definition. If it is not, I would appreciate some sources stating otherwise. All that said, indeed, the commandments tell us not to judge. We should leave that up to God... which means the angry tone of some of these posts needs to take a hike.

I have a question for the Mormon's on the post. If you believe that you are Christians, then why would you not allow non-Mormon's to attend your weddings, etc?

If your definition of Christianity includes the immovable requirement that Christians must believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are one, then by that definition you would not qualify Mormons as Christians. (And if that's the case, who was Jesus praying to when he was on the cross? Himself?)
However, if your definition of Christian means a person who believes that Christ suffered and died to atone for their sins so that they could return to live with God, then Mormons absolutely qualify.
We can argue doctrine till we are blue in the face.
Ask any Mormon, we will tell you that while we are not all perfect people, we are Christians.

oh wow...and the nations shall rise and fight one another. the trinity is not Christian. i was a JW (sorry) and we called ourselves witnesses because we elevated our lives and valued our lives over all of you. Christianity was apostolic in so many ways it was deemed 'untru'. but i have come to realise a relationship with God and not a religion makes me a Christian. i watched big love and sister wives and almost cried when despite the obvious they two had a relationship with God. because we experience differences in upbringing and believe what we are told by association, does slamming another person on what name they give their faith, defines them as Christian or not? is doing that unchristian? remember the woman whose own elders could not condem her for her life of prostitution? Jesus said..if they cannot condemn you how can i?! now go change your ways' and he forgave her infront of her condemers. we must not say we are the only true religion for a religion does nite define our heart condition. our love and appreciation for God and his son does.

The name of their church is.."Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" sounds Christian to me.

But beyond that--I think we need to say that no one can be everything to ALL people. Not even Jesus. The whole argument is irrelevant and should be removed (I think) from the public discourse. If you are speaking at a Christian fundraiser--perhaps you want to be open about your religious beliefs there. But in a public forum--no. I don't think anything should be asked at debates (though the evolution question gives them away). I honestly think it hinders all candidates and causes them to be dishonest because they are trying to appease everyone.

I'm an Atheist.

If I may, I'll add to Catherine's comment: We believe that God and Jesus Christ (his son, and also a god) are separate beings, but one in *purpose*, that purpose being to bring salvation and eternal life to *all* of God's children--through the atonement, sacrifice, and grace of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of hope and love, and I am so thankful I have it in my life.

Posted on my personal blog a few days ago: Lately, I've been mystified by the seeming coalition between all Fundamentalist (self-identified) Christians in the USA, because I read some Fundiwack Proddy literature a couple of decades ago in which Mormons and Catholics were labeled as having been deluded by Satan, and their religions were labeled as being of Satanic origin. But the Proddies have been apparently biting their collective tongues, lately, for the sake of acquiring even more disproportionate political power than they already hold. It seems that one of their number could hold his tongue no longer!

However we do not believe in the trinity. We believe that God and Jesus are two separate beings but we do believe that Jesus is a God and also that He is the Saviour of this world.I really can't believe that this is a conversation that needs clarifying. It blows my mind that people believe that a religion with the words Jesus Christ in it's official title would need to defend their position on whether or not they are Christian.

The reason Mormonism is not Christian is because it denies one or more of the essential doctrines of Christianity. Of the essential doctrines (that there is only one God, Jesus is God in flesh, forgiveness of sins is by grace alone, and Jesus rose from the dead physically, the gospel being the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus), Mormonism denies three of them: how many gods there are, the person of Jesus, and His work of salvation.

@Ellen- that is a difference in philosophy and doctrine. That does not mean they aren't Christians. Just as Catholics have their Saints does not make them not Christians. Mormons have what they believe to be another piece of the puzzle given to them by G-d to their prophets. Just as the original Christians believed they had a new piece of the puzzle and left their Jewish and pagan religions to follow Christ.

Brooke, yes we do. That is exactly what we believe.

So, people who all follow the teaching of Christ cannot possibly be Christians because of some nit picky dumb definition. Got it. I will remember that when I am serving my fellow man along with other people who are properly classified as Christians.

In order to be a Christian you have to believe that Jesus is the son of God as well as God Himself. You have to believe He rose from the dead and that He will come again. You have to believe He is THE savior. Do Mormons believe that?

Ellen, you are wrong. Plain and simple.

I really like the focus on Christ's life rather than his death that the LDS (Mormon) have.

Christianity is more than modeling your life after the teachings of Christ - anyone can do that. A Christian believes in the DIVINITY of Christ. Not only that He is the "Son of God," but that He IS God. I have never gotten a straight answer on that from any Mormon I've talked to about it. So, while almost all Mormons I know (a few extreme exceptions) are very good people who believe in the TEACHINGS of Christ, I'm actually not sure whether Mormon = Christian. And it seems like a lot of them aren't, either.

Harriet - The family in Sister Wives is not part of LDS church that Romney is a member of. LDS has not approved polygamy as a tenet of their faith in over a century. There are fundamentalist branches and offshoots of every religion/denomination.

@Harriet--Not sure what that has to do with this conversation, but since you brought it up, people who practice polygamy are *not* Mormon, and if someone from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints marries more than one wife, they are excommunicated from the church.

Fyi, Sister Wives are NOT Mormon.

Garrett, I feel you on that.

Judging others is NOT Christian.

Does anyone watch SISTER WIVES?

People who don't believe Mormons are Christians are either hugely misinformed or just plain ignorant. If you don't believe Mormons are Christians then I'd love to hear your definition if Christian. It takes 5 minutes to inform yourself on the subject so please feel free to do so.

DIANA! HOW DARE YOU! I AM A MORMON AND A CHRISTIAN!

I've been Mormon all my life (with a couple periods of rebellion in there ;). My religion and my life is centered on Christ, his life, his death, and his teachings. I invite anyone who wants to know more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to get the information from the source, not from books and people who are often ignorant and misinformed about what we do and do not believe. www.mormon.org. Cheers :)

Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ and his teachings is a Christian. Plain & simple. There are many variations on that theme: Catholic, Protestant, Lutheran, Evangelist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Episcopalian, Baptist, etc., and there are things within each sect that others may not agree with. But ALL of them, because of their faith in Jesus Christ, are Christians. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

There are differences between every Christian religion...but Mormons are Christians.