2008 Woodie Awards
Mormonism and Christianity: same or different?
Christian opposition to summer mission to Utah raises questions
Charlotte Holman
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: Forum
Outside of the Bible though, the LDS church teaches that Jesus is the first born child of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.
And just like everyone else, Jesus was not always God but worked hard to achieve godhood. When Jesus achieved godhood, however, he was not made equal with God and would never be equal to God.
Despite scriptures pointing to the doctrine of one God and the trinity in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible, the LDS church's first prophet Joseph Smith openly taught that God the Father (aka Heavenly Father), Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all separate gods.
The current prophet of the LDS church said himself in a speech in 1998 that he did not believe in the traditional Christ of Christianity. The "traditional Christ" he was referring to was the idea of the trinity, the idea that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the one true God, not separate gods.
In all my conversations with the local Bolivar LDS missionaries (great guys, be nice to them Bearcats) and Mormons in Utah, they agreed that Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Heavenly Father were all separate gods but one in purpose.
Regardless of what the Bible or the Book of Mormon said about there being only one God, everyone I spoke with on this topic said the scripture meant "in purpose."
All over the Bible, God says He is the only god: Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6, 8, Deuteronomy 6:4. Jesus said multiple times that he was one with the Father: John 10:30, 14:7-11.
While the people of the LDS church may claim to follow the same historical Jesus as Christians, the LDS Jesus is not the same spiritually. The LDS Jesus is a god, an exalted man, not the one and only God written about in the Bible.
When it comes to eternal life, the Bible preaches a salvation by grace through faith, not by works: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 2:16, John 3:6.
The Book of Mormon says differently. In Alma in the Book of Mormon, there is a verse very similar to Ephesians 2:8-9, but instead of saying we are saved not of our works, it states that we are saved "after all we can do." What does that even mean?
And just like everyone else, Jesus was not always God but worked hard to achieve godhood. When Jesus achieved godhood, however, he was not made equal with God and would never be equal to God.
Despite scriptures pointing to the doctrine of one God and the trinity in both the Book of Mormon and the Bible, the LDS church's first prophet Joseph Smith openly taught that God the Father (aka Heavenly Father), Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all separate gods.
The current prophet of the LDS church said himself in a speech in 1998 that he did not believe in the traditional Christ of Christianity. The "traditional Christ" he was referring to was the idea of the trinity, the idea that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the one true God, not separate gods.
In all my conversations with the local Bolivar LDS missionaries (great guys, be nice to them Bearcats) and Mormons in Utah, they agreed that Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Heavenly Father were all separate gods but one in purpose.
Regardless of what the Bible or the Book of Mormon said about there being only one God, everyone I spoke with on this topic said the scripture meant "in purpose."
All over the Bible, God says He is the only god: Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:6, 8, Deuteronomy 6:4. Jesus said multiple times that he was one with the Father: John 10:30, 14:7-11.
While the people of the LDS church may claim to follow the same historical Jesus as Christians, the LDS Jesus is not the same spiritually. The LDS Jesus is a god, an exalted man, not the one and only God written about in the Bible.
When it comes to eternal life, the Bible preaches a salvation by grace through faith, not by works: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 2:16, John 3:6.
The Book of Mormon says differently. In Alma in the Book of Mormon, there is a verse very similar to Ephesians 2:8-9, but instead of saying we are saved not of our works, it states that we are saved "after all we can do." What does that even mean?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jennifer Smith
posted 9/07/07 @ 8:08 AM CST
Charlotte:
You have done a good job of exposing basic beliefs of Mormonism in a way that is not condemning or condescending. We lived in Utah for 8 years. (Continued…)
Mark Hamilton
posted 10/26/07 @ 8:07 AM CST
Great article, I remember a phrase asked me of my college room mate,(ya I'm old)just before I was saved. You seem to talk about it like you know but until you walk with him you won't get it. (Continued…)
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