Mormon Christian debate - Mormons are Christians (Church of Jesus Christ)

This is a basic overview of beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Part of the reason why I posted this was to clarify and share what we actually teach and believe with others. We believe in the same Jesus Christ of the Holy Bible and the one who was the only begotten of the Father in the flesh by Mary. We believe that Mary was a virgin and that she conceived through the Holy Spirit and that Jesus Christ was the only perfect example and being for us here on earth. We believe that he atoned for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed to the father and asked about having the cup taken away but Jesus prayed to the Father "neverless not as I will but as thou will" so Jesus Christ bowed to the will of the Father and made both the atonement for our sins and was crucified on the cross then after being attended to and placed in the tomb was literally resurrected after three days and appeared and showed himself and the marks of the wounds in his hands and in his feet. As far as the difference in what we believe about Jesus Christ versus many other 'Christian' churches you need to go back to the council of Nicaea, by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in 325 AD and what is known as the First Ecumenical Council of the Catholic church. This was convened due to the conflicting views going around amongst all the different congregations as to what was the actual definition of 'God'. So after convening and these men voting upon what the definition of God was they came up with the Nicene Creed. This is actually not found in the Holy Bible and was added much later, it basically states that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are literally One. Which to some people is no more than semantics but they wanted to come up with what they believed the definition of 'God' was in 325 AD. The main difference with what our church believes is that we believe that God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all part of the Godhead and that they are all 'One in purpose' but distinct and separate beings. For example, I already mentioned Jesus Christ prayed to the Father in the Garden, while Peter James and John waited outside for him, and asked if the "cup might pass from him" but he conceded to the will of the Father because had he not then the Atonement would never have been made and we would all be lost in sin and could never repent and therefore return to the Father ourselves. That said, we believe Jesus Christ was literally praying to God the Father and not to himself.

I will give you another example; when Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist there were many who witnessed that they heard God the Father speaking "Behold my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" and these same witnesses also saw the Holy Ghost appear in the form of a dove at this event. We in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe this also literally took place, just like the Atonement in the Garden, the birth by Mary his mother, the Crucifixion and Resurrection all literally took place. To me this makes more sense and so because we don't believe in the Nicene Creed some other churches claiming to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ say that we are not and that we can not be allowed into the 'Christian club'.

That is why it is so confusing to our members when people will tell them that they are not Christian or that they are 'going to hell'. I had an interesting discussion with a gentleman who told me that all Mormons were going to hell and that he wanted to 'save my soul'. I asked him what he thought about people who had never even had an opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ who perhaps lived in times and/or places in which they never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and his response was that they would go to heaven but that myself and those who have been taught as children on up to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and that through him only, that is Jesus Christ, that we are saved...that we were all going to hell. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am happy to share our beliefs and answer any honest questions but I am not here to be told what I believe or to 'prove' anything to anyone since I have nothing to prove, I am very thankful for Jesus Christ and his literal life, death, atonement, resurrection and I believe he is still alive now albeit an exalted being. If it weren't for Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our church, life simply would have zero meaning. So if that means I am not Christian so be it but in a nutshell that is what we believe, Jesus Christ's name is even in our official name, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints...'Mormon' is a nickname that we pseudo adopted and which is acceptable to some but we prefer the actual name of our church, always have because I love Jesus Christ with all my heart, might and soul although obviously I am not perfect but I really do try to follow his teachings and example.

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[yellowcorba1]

I am a Mormon I do believe in Christ So does that mean I am going to hell?

Answer=no

reason Because I believe in christ now tell me where in the bible does it say Mormons are going to hell?

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires Jesus Christ Himself taught us to pray unto God the Father. The Book of Mormon teaches the same thing as I have already shown you with one of several specific examples.

[LDS4Life71]

Elder Holland speaks the truth, and is called of God.

FAIRLDS.org

for the truth

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires John fell and worshipped an angel in Revelations 22 when speaking with an angel. I can only imagine what it would be like to be in the presence of any heavenly being. You could use this to attack the Holy Bible but certainly we know that John did not worship an angel.

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires 3 Nephi 19: 22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me because I am with them. It was one of the special circumstances that Jesus Christ was actually physically present with them and so as the advocate with the Father, in this instance they could pray to Him directly trusting Him to carry their prayers to the Father.

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires absolutely yes it does and it mentions God the Father at least three times specifically. 3 Nephi 18:18-21. "Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name; 20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you. 21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed."

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires good question Christ Himself taught us the manner in how to pray in the Lord's prayer it is recorded in two places one in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. There are several variations including the original Greek text but they all teach that we should pray to "our Father in Heaven" and so we teach, believe and practice as well.

[harvestsoulfly]

@fractalfires Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."

John 10:33 "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

Isaiah 41:4 I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he

Revelation 1:17 Jesus said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last:"

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires actually there is it describes each one specifically. Christ taught us to kneel, pray to and worship God the Father, in His name (that of Jesus Christ) by the power of the Holy Ghost. They are separate beings but ONE in every other way--most especially in purpose. This is what matters the most and I can see why some people including those who lived prior to 325AD felt confusion as the actual definition which was why they got together and voted, as men, creating the Nicean Creed.

[pangeanet]

@fractalfires we only have one God just as the 10 Commandments states "Ye Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me". God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are one and the same in every possible way yet literally are three separate, distinct beings..for example; as described during the baptism of Jesus Christ by John The Baptist; God the Father spoke to those present, "Behold My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" as the Holy Ghost appeared in the form of a dove, proving this as well.

[pangeanet]

@Danthious I have to emphatically agree very good comment.