Are Mormons Christians? (Latter Day Saints)

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

TLHKAJ

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2020
7,168
8,739
113
US
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
ask them about GOD himself . how he began . AS THOUGH HE BEGAN ...........
but anyway i have read their own teachings , YEARS AGO for myself in the library . I nearly fell out of my chair
at some of the things i was reading .
Ask her about joseph smith . Dude put his head INTO A HAT to get certain revelations . ITS WITCHCRAFT .
i read their own stuff .
Joseph Smith was a freemason. And the mormon rituals are very very similar to masonic rituals. That says A LOT!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlessedPeace

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Could you expand on this please? Id like to genuinely learn more on this as it is the LDS church I'm leaning towards
Going from super-short and to short. :) I don't know how long of answer folks like (generally folks including myself don't like reading or writing essays).

The false story that gets proclaimed is "Mormons believe that God was a man!" And in that they are implicitly packing in their ideas of "man" = sinner. "man" = created being. man = physical and that's bad. Etc. It devolves into an ontological obsession for them. This is all very off base and seemingly forgets that God the Son did live a mortal life.

Real story: God the Son did indeed live a mortal life and has a (now) glorified physical body. This is no way make Him less perfect or divine. Nor does it mean that He sinned-- obviously He never did. And He's always been God, the Son of God to be specific. We also believe that He has always existed, the phrase/idea of "created being" doesn't apply to Him or anywhere in LDS Christianity. Creedal ontology overall doesn't really apply to LDS Christian beliefs.

There are 2 non-scriptural original quotes that exist in the extensive LDS Christian library, that suggest that the Father might likewise have lived a mortal life. These aren't scripture and aren't actually discussed at LDS Christian church. They go into the "see into the glass darkly" bucket-- LDS Christians have an open cannon, believe God has wonders still to reveal to us, and do not believe that any servant of God is automatically perfect. Individual LDS Christian person can and do interpret them differently or not at all, again not a focus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jessicaleks93

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Yes, I know. That's why I'm being very specific with my questions. I grew up with mormon uncle and aunt, and doctors. They all were part of the .....THE .... cult. All of them were handlers within the cult. And they believed that we all were pre-existent as spirits before we entered the womb, and that we can go on to become gods of our own worlds (just like - they believe - God and Jesus did). They had so many anti-biblical doctrines.
And my mother-in-law is a Baptist cultist. She blindly follows her pastor, blindly believes everything he says, votes how he tells her to, etc. She is very hostile to anyone who doesn't recite the same party lines, and will sneak around & do unethical things "distribute truth". I can & have many times tried to talk with things, logically explaining things out, and she may listen for that second. But the next day she resets to that same old party line, mindlessly reciting the same old stuff, and ignoring what we just talked about. Over and over again.

I try to have patience with her, and I do truly love her. Even if she is taxing. And I know that her being a cultist this way is a matter of her personality, and doesn't mean that "Baptist = cultist".
 
  • Like
Reactions: jessicaleks93

Cassandra

Well-Known Member
Sep 24, 2021
2,696
3,059
113
Midwest
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Forever and ever. Infinite. Never at any point has Christ not existed.
Did God and his wife mate to make spirit babies? Was Jesus a spirit baby? Is there a difference between an LDS Christian and an LDS? When i was in the church that not the name we used.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TLHKAJ

Wrangler

Well-Known Member
Feb 14, 2021
13,605
5,117
113
55
Shining City on a Hill
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I thought this might help.
cult
noun
ˈkəlt
often attributive

1: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious (see SPURIOUS sense 2)
also : its body of adherents
the voodoo cult
a satanic cult

2 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book)
criticizing how the media promotes the cult of celebrity
especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad

b: the object of such devotion

c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
the singer's cult of fans
The film has a cult following.

3: a system of religious beliefs and ritual
also : its body of adherents
the cult of Apollo

4: formal religious veneration : WORSHIP

5: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jane_Doe22

TLHKAJ

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2020
7,168
8,739
113
US
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
And my mother-in-law is a Baptist cultist. She blindly follows her pastor, blindly believes everything he says, votes how he tells her to, etc. She is very hostile to anyone who doesn't recite the same party lines, and will sneak around & do unethical things "distribute truth". I can & have many times tried to talk with things, logically explaining things out, and she may listen for that second. But the next day she resets to that same old party line, mindlessly reciting the same old stuff, and ignoring what we just talked about. Over and over again.

I try to have patience with her, and I do truly love her. Even if she is taxing. And I know that her being a cultist this way is a matter of her personality, and doesn't mean that "Baptist = cultist".
And yet, the cult places folks in all denominations. That is how they hide themselves in order to deceive more people.

If a person falls into a religious spirit, of thinking they have to work in order to save themselves, following a man and his man-made rules in order to somehow gain God's approval ...that is cultish, although they may not realize it. And it is often indicative (but not always) of THE cult I am speaking of. The cult I am speaking of are those who serve lucifer (satan) in secret, but outwardly portray themselves as good, innocent, Christian, etc.
 

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
And yet, the cult places folks in all denominations. That is how they hide themselves in order to deceive more people.

If a person falls into a religious spirit, of thinking they have to work in order to save themselves, following a man and his man-made rules in order to somehow gain God's approval ...that is cultish, although they may not realize it. And it is often indicative (but not always) of THE cult I am speaking of. The cult I am speaking of are those who serve lucifer (satan) in secret, but outwardly portray themselves as good, innocent, Christian, etc.
There are indeed always wolves out there, in every bunch of people. Same with I-don't-want-to-think folks like my MIL.

Knowing those type of folks exist in every bunch, I really despise it when people instead use "cult" to mean a denomination. Every denomination has a wide variety of folks in it, from the wolves to those honestly trying to live in faith.
 

TheOneHeLoves

Active Member
Nov 15, 2022
157
141
43
49
Houston
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I also read the Bible very heavily, first read it cover to cover at age 9. My last read through focused on ladies of the Bible, giving their stories a spotlight.
so what makes you claim to be a LDS verses a following of Christ Jesus per the Holy Bible. If you did not like the way your mother followed the pastor of her church. Aren't you following Joseph Smith?

the Bible has 4 different authors over thousand of years all pointing to The Son, Yeshua (Jesus). The Bible is about Him not us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cassandra

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
so what makes you claim to be a LDS verses a following of Christ Jesus per the Holy Bible. If you did not like the way your mother followed the pastor of her church. Aren't you following Joseph Smith?

the Bible has 4 different authors over thousand of years all pointing to The Son, Yeshua (Jesus). The Bible is about Him not us.
I'm a disciple of Christ, not Joseph Smith.

My faith is the result of extremely thorough study of scripture & prayer conferring with Him. As I said earlier, I first read the Bible cover-to-cover age age 9. Read many times since then. I've studied a bunch of other writings too, studied many different points of views / denominations, etc. The Son of God is my King.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wrangler

Rockerduck

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2022
1,021
920
113
69
Marietta, Georgia.
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I'm a disciple of Christ, not Joseph Smith.

My faith is the result of extremely thorough study of scripture & prayer conferring with Him. As I said earlier, I first read the Bible cover-to-cover age age 9. Read many times since then. I've studied a bunch of other writings too, studied many different points of views / denominations, etc. The Son of God is my King.
Then all you need is to pray to Jesus for the Holy Spirit. Then you'll be a born again from above Christian. Praising Jesus and singing Halleluiah.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pearl

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,305
4,989
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Yeah, that's not accurate.
What’s not accurate? That there are people out there who say if you leave the Mormon church you’re someone whom is out in the outer darkness or something? I don’t worship Shawn McCranney but many people hate him, and continue to make videos of him and articulating why he is wrong… all while the whole time he continues to suggest no one to believe anything he has to say.

I never seen any person on a pulpit, stand there and say that to my own face…
 

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
What’s not accurate? That there are people out there who say if you leave the Mormon church you’re someone whom is out in the outer darkness or something? I don’t worship Shawn McCranney but many people hate him, and continue to make videos of him and articulating why he is wrong… all while the whole time he continues to suggest no one to believe anything he has to say.

I never seen any person on a pulpit, stand there and say that to my own face…
Shawn McCranney's very unpopular in about every circle. I'm going to skip critiquing the individual.

And nope: LDS Christians don't believe in some terrible fate for ex-believers. Nor any eternal torture place like mainstream Christians do. Rather, LDS Christians have different view of the afterlife, wherein people do have the opportunity to repent after death, and >99.999% of folks spend eternity in beyond mind-boggling happiness.
 

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Who is Joseph Smith to you? Do you respect him in any way?
I'm going to be direct here: I'm a disciple of Christ.

Joseph Smith is a sinner like every other person that's ever lived. He ain't my Savior. I do not worship him. I readily acknowledge his many many falters. And I do also believe that he was an (extremely flawed) servant of God. All servants of God are flawed individuals.

I really really hate it when other folks pretend like I do worship Joseph Smith and then obsessively try to prove to me he was a sinner (no duh). I'd much rather talk about Christ and faith in Him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wrangler

MatthewG

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2021
14,305
4,989
113
33
Fyffe
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
Shawn McCranney's very unpopular in about every circle. I'm going to skip critiquing the individual.

And nope: LDS Christians don't believe in some terrible fate for ex-believers. Nor any eternal torture place like mainstream Christians do. Rather, LDS Christians have different view of the afterlife, wherein people do have the opportunity to repent after death, and >99.999% of folks spend eternity in beyond mind-boggling happiness.


I don’t know. I’d have to go and visit myself and pretend to be a member and go through the motions personally to know for sure. I know back in the early days before the expansion of the internet there was a lot of things mentioned then, some things change now I’m sure still doesn’t really give me the confidence in trust what you are talking about.

Even with yourself as a member that doesn’t matter to me. Cause I love you either way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jane_Doe22

Jane_Doe22

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2018
5,328
3,511
113
116
Mid-west USA
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I don’t know. I’d have to go and visit myself and pretend to be a member and go through the motions personally to know for sure. I know back in the early days before the expansion of the internet there was a lot of things mentioned then, some things change now I’m sure still doesn’t really give me the confidence in trust what you are talking about.

Even with yourself as a member that doesn’t matter to me. Cause I love you either way.
<3

I'm happy to answer questions. I'm also happy to point your to resources. And if you want to go check things out yourself (first hand research!) then you're totally welcome to attend LDS Christians services, zero need to pretend to be a member or anything else.

And hey "I don't know, and I'm ok with that cause I don't have the energy to check it out right now" is also a totally legit answer. I get that-- I accidentally fell asleep way early last night and was out for 10 hours. Life can be so exhausting.