Mormonism

Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about whether or no Mormon's are Christians. There have been comments that Mormons are not mainstream Christians, not Christians at all, and even that Mormons are a cult. Every time I hear comments like these it makes me want to scream. So I decided this morning that I want to set the record straight a little. There are ample opportunities on the web to find out information about Mormonism. The problem is that if you do not go to the true source of the information, you are getting biased and often untrue information.The best source for true and accurate information about Mormonism is to go to the Church website. This can be found at www.lds.org or www.mormon.org. To make things a little easier for you, I would like to spell out a few of our beliefs.

I will include the Articles of Faith for our church below. First of all though, I want to say, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior and only through Him can I be saved. I believe that the Bible is the word of God (see Article of Faith below #8). I believe that God prepared another Word of God on the American Continent. I believe that Joseph Smith Saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and was given the information and keys necessary to restore the Church of Jesus Christ on the Earth.

I have come across my own questions lately for other people.

Have you ever studied the organization of the Church that Jesus Christ that he established while on the Earth? Christ had apostles and a certain organization. (See Article of Faith # 6.) Our church is organized in the same way Christ organized His church while He was ministering on the Earth.

God is an unchanging being correct? He is the same yesterday, today and forever correct? God revealed many great things that we are blessed to have through the bible(see article of faith #9). He revealed things to each of the prophets throughout the bible. John the Revelator gave us wonderful revelations to help us prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. So if God is unchanging, and the same yesterday, today and forever, why then would He cease to speak to His prophets today. It doesn't make sense to me that God would stop speaking to prophets today when he has done so through all generations of time.

When the Bible was written, it was not written in the book order that we have it in today. the Book of Revelations that is currently that last book in the bible, was not always the last book. John the Revelator spoke of not adding to 'this' book. Therefore, there were parts of the bible that now precede the Book of Revelation that were written after John wrote what is in Revelation 22:18: " For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:" Therefore, if peoples arguments for the Book of Mormon being an addition to that and therefore untrue, then there would be parts of the bible that are therefore 'untrue' by the same means.

I do not mean to shove my religion down anyones throats. I believe as I do and I respect anyones right to believe as they do. But I do believe that people should have an understanding of what it is that they are actually condemning before they condemn it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the name of Christ in the title. We worship Jesus Christ and revere Joseph Smith as the Prophet who brought the fullness of Jesus Christ's Gospel back to the Earth. But we do not worship Joseph Smith. For the past 2 years we have studied the old and new testaments during our Sunday School hour at church each Sunday. We believe that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. We do not use it in place of the bible, we use it together with the bible.

Now to the question of Are Mormons Christians? I believe it was an article by Orson Scott Card a few years ago when responding to an Evangelical claim that Mormons were not mainstream Christians. He responded to the affect of No, Mormons may not be mainstream Christians, because we do not believe the exact same as other Christian faiths do. But regardless of whether we are mainstream, traditional or what, we are Christians. We believe in and worship Jesus Christ and know that it is ONLY through HIM that we can be saved. Christ is my savior, He was wounded for my transgressions, and with His stripes I am healed. (See Mosiah 14:5)

I hope that you will take the time to learn the truth of my religion. Religion should not be a part of the candidacy for president. But inevitably it will be. But do not rely on the positions of those who are supporting other candidates. Their information will undoubtedly be biased and untrue. I do not expect everyone to convert to Mormonism, I just want you to have a true understanding of who we are and what we believe. Mormon.org is a great resource to get a better idea of our beliefs.

Here are our Articles of Faith. Joseph Smith, the restoring Prophet, wrote these out to help others understand our core beliefs. This is from the Articles of Faith page on Mormon.org.

13 Articles of Faith

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1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

3.We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4.We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5.We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6.We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7.We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

8.We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

11.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.

12.We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13.We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul-We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

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