Are Mormons Christian?

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  • Cosmo
    Cosmo Posts: 12,225
    PJ_Soul wrote:
    Cosmo wrote:
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    They are not Christians. It's like saying you are a vegetarian because you have a salad with your steak.
    ...
    The thing is... who gets to decide who is Christian and who is not?
    And in the end... does it really even matter?
    It matters to the Christians I'd imagine...
    ...
    I understand that it matters to them... but, I don't get why does it matter?
    In other words, who cares what other people believe as long as they are comforted in their belief (religion).
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • riotgrl
    riotgrl LOUISVILLE Posts: 1,895
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    They are not Christians. It's like saying you are a vegetarian because you have a salad with your steak.

    They are not Christians in the same way we define Christianity today. Namely, many Christians today are more fundamentalist with a literal interpretation of the Bible while the founding fathers (not all but many) were more along the lines of deists with an intellectual understanding of the role of religion in everyday life - meant to guide behavior not necessarily to determine where you ended up after death. It's also helpful to understand their religion in terms of time period. Many Christians of the early period were probably closer to agnostics than we are today. David Holmes wrote a great book entitled The Faith of the Founding Fathers that not only examines the religious faith of guys like Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson but also defines the religious movements of the day so you can understand the religious context in contrast to our current religious climate. I highly recommend his book.
    Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?

    Seems my preconceptions are what should have been burned...

    I AM MINE
  • bindy123
    bindy123 Posts: 210
    Cosmo wrote:
    RedMosquito22 wrote:
    They are not Christians. It's like saying you are a vegetarian because you have a salad with your steak.
    ...
    The thing is... who gets to decide who is Chriatian and who is not?
    And in the end... does it really even matter?

    Cosmo, I think I wrote a comment ages ago in this thread that may answer that question...I dont think the word Christian is all that important, but to bible believing Christians it is about who is SAVED and who isnt...or who is going to heaven when they die, and who is going to hell...so to them is of huge importance...

    but I think you may be thinking along the lines of does it matter politically, or who has what values, how will it effect various decisions etc...ands I can understand why you ask why does it matter...

    But a Christian believes that only Christians go to spend eternity in Heaven, evryone else spends eternity burning in hell...I think the bible describes it regularly as where there will be continual weeping and gnashing of teeth...so their mission in life is to convert people to Christianity...and thats why I never take offence to christians that preach to me...I feel complimented that they care about my eternal soul!...

    so I think thats why, to a Christian, it is extremely important the issue of who is a christian and who isnt...hope that makes some sense, I havent woken up properly yet...damn I hope this isnt ANOTHER post I write then read with shame and embarassment later
    "God created surfing and Pearl Jam so that the truely gifted, talented and most intelligent people wouldnt rule the world"...adapted from my bumper sticker
  • Cosmo
    Cosmo Posts: 12,225
    bindy123 wrote:
    Cosmo, I think I wrote a comment ages ago in this thread that may answer that question...I dont think the word Christian is all that important, but to bible believing Christians it is about who is SAVED and who isnt...or who is going to heaven when they die, and who is going to hell...so to them is of huge importance...

    but I think you may be thinking along the lines of does it matter politically, or who has what values, how will it effect various decisions etc...ands I can understand why you ask why does it matter...

    But a Christian believes that only Christians go to spend eternity in Heaven, evryone else spends eternity burning in hell...I think the bible describes it regularly as where there will be continual weeping and gnashing of teeth...so their mission in life is to convert people to Christianity...and thats why I never take offence to christians that preach to me...I feel complimented that they care about my eternal soul!...

    so I think thats why, to a Christian, it is extremely important the issue of who is a christian and who isnt...hope that makes some sense, I havent woken up properly yet...damn I hope this isnt ANOTHER post I write then read with shame and embarassment later
    ...
    I get where you are coming from... I just do not understand the reasoning and the logic that is put into play to arrive at this conclusion.
    I understand the belief that only those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will be saved from fire and brimstone and it is their purpose in life to spread the Word of Christ to others, so they might also be saved. But, isn't that what Mormons do? The ones that dare to knock on my door and open a dialog with me about Jesus and Heaven and all that are trying to convince me that their way is the Way to Christ. Same thing. What makes them NOT Christian? Their rituals? Their core belief is in Jesus... doesn't that qualify as Christian?
    The same goes for the Westboro Baptist Church... They believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour (even thought they are assholes about it). And the Death Row Rapist/Murderer who has found Jesus in his cell and truely believes Jesus is the Way... will you be seeing him in Heaven? Who am I to say whether they are Christian or not? No one has granted me the authority.
    I accept them all as Christians... but, I ain't joining their mindset because I simply don't know that they are right and I'm not taking their word as my truth.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • bindy123
    bindy123 Posts: 210
    Cosmo wrote:
    bindy123 wrote:
    Cosmo, I think I wrote a comment ages ago in this thread that may answer that question...I dont think the word Christian is all that important, but to bible believing Christians it is about who is SAVED and who isnt...or who is going to heaven when they die, and who is going to hell...so to them is of huge importance...

    but I think you may be thinking along the lines of does it matter politically, or who has what values, how will it effect various decisions etc...ands I can understand why you ask why does it matter...

    But a Christian believes that only Christians go to spend eternity in Heaven, evryone else spends eternity burning in hell...I think the bible describes it regularly as where there will be continual weeping and gnashing of teeth...so their mission in life is to convert people to Christianity...and thats why I never take offence to christians that preach to me...I feel complimented that they care about my eternal soul!...

    so I think thats why, to a Christian, it is extremely important the issue of who is a christian and who isnt...hope that makes some sense, I havent woken up properly yet...damn I hope this isnt ANOTHER post I write then read with shame and embarassment later
    ...
    I get where you are coming from... I just do not understand the reasoning and the logic that is put into play to arrive at this conclusion.
    I understand the belief that only those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will be saved from fire and brimstone and it is their purpose in life to spread the Word of Christ to others, so they might also be saved. But, isn't that what Mormons do? The ones that dare to knock on my door and open a dialog with me about Jesus and Heaven and all that are trying to convince me that their way is the Way to Christ. Same thing. What makes them NOT Christian? Their rituals? Their core belief is in Jesus... doesn't that qualify as Christian?
    The same goes for the Westboro Baptist Church... They believe in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour (even thought they are assholes about it). And the Death Row Rapist/Murderer who has found Jesus in his cell and truely believes Jesus is the Way... will you be seeing him in Heaven? Who am I to say whether they are Christian or not? No one has granted me the authority.
    I accept them all as Christians... but, I ain't joining their mindset because I simply don't know that they are right and I'm not taking their word as my truth.

    And I am firmly in your camp Cosmo...I mean the fact you are a cat obviously means I am fundamentally opposed to anything you write...but I do somehow agree with you on this

    I remember, and always will...as a kid I would regularly do trips from where I lived to visit my grandmother, about a six hour drive...somewhere on the journey was a massive piece of graffiti written on a bridge...it said...BAN RELIGION, FOLLOW GOD...it always made some sense to me for some reason

    but unfortunately, it appears to me, that many religions have, and always will have, the belief that THEY ARE RIGHT, and evryone else is wrong, and that is why religion is the base of so much conflict
    "God created surfing and Pearl Jam so that the truely gifted, talented and most intelligent people wouldnt rule the world"...adapted from my bumper sticker
  • pandora
    pandora Posts: 21,855
    For me finding the truth is feeling the truth, it is not thinking, reasoning or learning.
    It is knowing in your heart because you feel a divine presence ....
    kind of like a hug from a loved one that never leaves.

    I look at those who have found their Lord through religion as wanting to share, that is all.
    Share a very good thing, share the love. It's very cool. I will listen. Why not?
    We all should listen more and listen with our hearts.
  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    yoda
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • catefrances
    catefrances Posts: 29,003
    my heart leads me astray too often for me to take it seriously... but boy do i love to make those detours. 8-)
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say

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