Child asked if Mormons are Christians
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Anonymous
| We are taught in our church that they are not. It was a statement of what we have been taught. I realize some Mormons believe they are in the Christian faith, but I really don't understand how they get there. My child passed this along to someone at their school that is Mormon, not sure why my DC did this, but that's a separate point. Now the family is very angry with us. My kids have asked if Jewish people are Christians, as well, and we have used it as an opportunity to explain the different beliefs. We also have emphasized respect for the various religions. Thoughts on this? |
Anonymous
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You're wrong. You should apologize.
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Anonymous
| I am wrong on the Mormon front? Interesting. I have researched this before and I can't find a main stream Christian denomination that considers them Christians. |
Anonymous
They're not Christians. Some of that is revisioninist crap to neuter the Tea Party types so they'd support Romney |
Anonymous
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My thoughts are that it is reasonable for you to consider the Mormons not to be Christians. It is also reasonable for the Mormons to consider themselves Christians.
Reasonable people can disagree on whether or not Mormons are Christians. Telling them that they are not Mormons is unnecessary and provocative, but the family should also accept that you have your views, which is that they are not Christians. |
Anonymous
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There are mainstream denominations that say that Roman Catholics aren't Christian, either. And as a Roman Catholic, I was taught that the rest of you are heretics. The Vatican has gradually accepted Epsicopalians and Greek Orthodox as orthodox, but the rest of you are all wrong and probably going to burn in hell.
They believe in Jesus Christ. They just believe that he had additional missions to the US and they believe in additional books of the Bible. They're Christians. They're weird Christians, but they're Christians. It's extremely offensive to tell Mormans that they aren't Christians. They've been persecuted a LOT for being "not Christian." They are right to be pissed. You were very, very, VERY rude. In matters of faith, it's best to accept people for what they claim to be and save doctrinal debates for church and Sunday school. Even if you think it, you don't have to SAY it. |
Anonymous
| What kind of church teaches this? It has never come up in our church. |
Anonymous
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What the Mormons say about it:
"http://www.mormon.org/faq/mormon-christian" And that might be the best way to handle it. "Kids, the Mormons say they are Christian. They believe a lot of stuff that we don't, so our religion isn't sure that they are Christians. They think they are, though." |
Anonymous
You haven't been around enough fundies and evangelicals. Nasty judgmentalism rules the day. |
Anonymous
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http://www.patheos.com/blogs/joeljmiller/2011/10/why-mormons-arent-christians/
I think this sums it up well. I don't understand the rude part, in its history Mormons did not consider themselves Christians. My Jewish friends do not consider themselves Christians either. My child asked a question and I answered it. I didn't say they were going to Hell or anything like that, I just said it's a different religion than Christianity. I don't tend to think there is only one path and basic view is that I have known some really wonderful Mormon people and some really awful Christian people, we emphasize with our kids that it's how you act towards others that is important in this world. |
Anonymous
| Perhaps your church should focus more on teaching children and adults to behave as Christ would want them to instead of teaching them to judge and discriminate. |
Anonymous
You are going to have that issue with any religion that follows the advent of your own. So it doesn't apply backwards to Jews, who were here first. 
Personally, I think an individual's relationship with God is very personal and unique. In that vein, if a Mormon considers himself Christian, fine. That doesn't invalidate your faith as a more mainstream or traditional Christian at all. Doesn't mean it's not common. My Episcopalian mother has trouble thinking evangelical Christians are truly Christian, because they don't practice Christianity anywhere near the same way Episcopalians, Catholics, or more historical denominations do. She doesn't get making up a church, its own statement of faith, and not following traditional Christian creeds. And many Sunni and Shia Muslims have a lot of trouble with Ahmadiyya Muslims, which is a newer sect with some significantly different beliefs. I believe you will find Orthodox Jews who don't few Reform Jews as "truly Jewish" as well. FWIW, I teach my child there are many different religions across the globe. People are free to choose what they want to be, or free to choose to not practice religion at all. We hope that whatever a person chooses helps them be a good and kind person. No religion is one size fits all. This is also a helpful belief for him when other kids try to convert him to "their" family's religion, ,which happens far more often than I ever would have thought. |
Anonymous
Mormons currently consider themselves Christians. There is hardly anything ruder than saying to another Christian "You aren't a Christian." I had a paralegal (who some kind of evangelical) tell me quite firmly that Roman Catholics aren't Christians. I was deeply offended. It's unbelievably rude. You didn't know it was rude, but it was rude. The polite thing to do now is to strap on your big girl panties and apologize. |
Anonymous
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Both Mormonism and Islam, which accept Jesus as a prophet, can be viewed as Christian heresies.
Christianity can be viewed as a Jewish heresy. Islam can be viewed that way as well--theologically, it is closer to Judaism than to Christianity. |
Anonymous
| Mormons are not Christians. The easy answer to your question is "No. They have their faith and their beliefs, but are not Christians." |