What You Need To Know About Mormons

Right Truth posts about some of the key differences between Christianity and Mormonism. I always think it's interesting to explore other faiths to gain at least a passing familiarity with them, and given Mitt Romney's prominent status as a Mormon, this seems like a great thing to look at now. Check it out:

There are many differences between Christians and Mormons. I do not plan to get into all of those here and I understand that I will stir a hornet's nest with this post. What I DO intend, is to point out the one difference you need to know about. First a disclaimer:

I believe there ARE Christians in the Mormon church. I believe that many Mormons who have not gotten into the hierarchy and original teachings of the church, probably believe the same way I and most Christians believe. Having said that, I do NOT believe that the Mormon doctrine is truly Christian. Mitt Romney told the world that he believes in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I have no reason to doubt his statement or his faith. That's between him and God and I would be the last person to judge another's faith or relationship with God. This is not about politics.

My way of determining whether a group is Christian or not is this: Do they believe the way to salvation is based on faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing else. Only faith is required.

... the Mormon Church teaches that the purpose of the atonement was to bring resurrection and immortality to all people, regardless of whether they receive Christ by faith. Christ’s atonement is only a partial basis for worthiness and eternal life, which also requires obedience to all the commands of the Mormon church, including exclusive Mormon temple rituals (Gospel Principles, pp. 74-75; Mormon Doctrine, p. 669).

... the Mormon Church teaches that eternal life in the presence of God (which it terms "exaltation in the celestial kingdom") must be earned through obedience to all the commands of the Mormon Church, including exclusive Mormon temple rituals. Works are a requirement for salvation (entrance into the "celestial kingdom") — Gospel Principles, p. 303-304; Pearl of Great Price — Third Article of Faith; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 339, 671; Book of Mormon — 2 Nephi 25:23). (source)

Mormons believe in many gods and they believe that they can BECOME gods. They believe that God was once a human man.

Leaders of the Mormon church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) say:

... the very name of the Savior is in the name of the church. . . . The New Testament is a fundamental scripture for us. We have in addition to that the Book of Mormon, which becomes another witness for Jesus Christ." (here)

First, there IS NO OTHER testament of Jesus Christ than the Bible. Not the Book of Mormon and not the Pearl of Great Price, or any other book. Mormons use all three books as their Scripture.

Second, Just like attaching a Roll Royce logo to a Volkswagen does not make the latter a Rolls Royce, using the name of Jesus Christ does not make Mormonism "Christian."

Third, and most important, Mormons believe Jesus was created, not Divine.

The Mormon Jesus Christ

A created being: the elder brother
of Lucifer

Common (one of many gods) and,
in some ways, of minor important in
the larger Mormon cosmology

Conceived by a physical sex act
between God the Father (Adam or
Elohim) and Mary, thus not through
a true virgin birth

Once sinful and imperfect

Earned his own salvation
(exaltation, godhood)

A married polygamist?

VS:

The Biblical Jesus Christ

Uncreated God

Unique (the Second Person of the one and only Godhead)
and of supreme importance through time, eternity and all
creation

Conceived by the Holy Spirit, who supermaturally
"overshadowed" Mary, thus a true virgin birth

Eternally sinless and perfect

As God, never required salvation

An unmarried monogamist

Quite a comparison.

In the 2nd letter to the Corinthians Paul warns about the very real possibility of another Jesus, a Jesus different from the Jesus Paul had presented to the Corinthians.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may well put up with it!
2 Corinthians 11:4 (here)

The Pearl of Great Price infers that Jesus and Satan were brothers, equals, before Satan refused to carry out God's will:

Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 4:1-4)

So it can be said that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers, in the sense of both being spiritually begotten by the Father, but it is a misrepresentation to say so without giving the contextual background. Whatever similarities in background exist between Jesus and Satan pale compared to the differences. Jesus is the Beloved and Chosen, who is the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh. (here)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, believe some strange things like:

Jesus visited the United States.

There are many heavens, celestial, and terrestrial, and telestial; believers go to one of these if they have earned it in their earthly life.

... the Mormon Church teaches that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate Gods (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 370; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 576-577), and that the Son and Holy Ghost are the literal offspring of Heavenly Father and a celestial wife (Joseph Fielding McConkie, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, vol. 2, p. 649).

Mormons "continue to have children after the resurrection". Also the more children you have here on earth, the higher heaven, or kingdom, you will reside in after death.

...the Mormon Church teaches that there are many Gods (Book of Abraham 4:3ff), and that we can become gods and goddesses in the celestial kingdom (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20; Gospel Principles, p. 245; Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 130). It also teaches that those who achieve godhood will have spirit children who will worship and pray to them, just as we worship and pray to God the Father (Gospel Principles, p. 302).

... the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-347; Gospel Principles, p. 9; Articles of Faith, p. 430; Mormon Doctrine, p. 321). Indeed, the Mormon Church teaches that God himself has a father, and a grandfather, ad infinitummore) (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373; Mormon Doctrine, p. 577). (

Mormons also believe a living person can be baptized for someone who has already died, thus saving that person and getting them into a heaven/kingdom.

I leave you with the above information and suggest you do some searches and reading on your own.

I didn't know much about Mormonism before reading this, and although it's impossible to capture an entire faith in this amount of space, it's at least an illuminating glimpse. I hope it helps inform you, too!

There's my two cents.