Some clarificationhdplayer8May 18 2006, 03:33:00 UTC
When I said that Mr. Tickle COULD be Mormon and still have my respect, my point was simply this: He could have any belief system--one quite different from my own--and that belief system would have no bearing on how I feel about him. Whether I agree with his religious ideals is not grounds for respect. That was all I was saying, and made my point clearly. My choice of words was specific, as it related to our conversation.
As to your statement that Mormons are Christians, I believe some clarficications need to be made. While there are some shared beliefs, let's be clear of this: Mormons and traditional, Evangelical Christians differ in the core of what they believe. In fact, the further you study each religion (and I have), the more one can see how different they are. Perhaps the most evident example of this is that Christians belive in the Diety of Christ; Mormons do not. In fact, the Mormon church teaches that Jesus was/is the spirit-brother of Lucifer; Christians, however (I among them), believe, that, based on clear, Biblical passages, Jesus was/is co-creator of the universe (see Genesis 1 and John 1, for starters). They/we belive him to be God. This is one of the many points Mormonism differs from Christianity. It's not that I am drawing a divisive line; this is a line that has alredy been drawn for us, by Christ, Paul the Apolstle, and Joseph Smith, to name a few.
Are Mormons undesirable? I have no idea; the ones I know are really nice people, and that's all I can go on. Do we agree on our theology? Certainly not! While it is comfortable to say that we are 'all the same,' let us not come with such pretentious ideas; we believe quite different things, for different reasons. I have spoken with many Mormon missionaries and Elders; after hours and hours of conversation, it is clear where the Church of Jesus Christ, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints differ and part ways.
Feel free to continue your thoughts; I do appreicate them.
As to your statement that Mormons are Christians, I believe some clarficications need to be made. While there are some shared beliefs, let's be clear of this: Mormons and traditional, Evangelical Christians differ in the core of what they believe. In fact, the further you study each religion (and I have), the more one can see how different they are. Perhaps the most evident example of this is that Christians belive in the Diety of Christ; Mormons do not. In fact, the Mormon church teaches that Jesus was/is the spirit-brother of Lucifer; Christians, however (I among them), believe, that, based on clear, Biblical passages, Jesus was/is co-creator of the universe (see Genesis 1 and John 1, for starters). They/we belive him to be God. This is one of the many points Mormonism differs from Christianity. It's not that I am drawing a divisive line; this is a line that has alredy been drawn for us, by Christ, Paul the Apolstle, and Joseph Smith, to name a few.
Are Mormons undesirable? I have no idea; the ones I know are really nice people, and that's all I can go on. Do we agree on our theology? Certainly not! While it is comfortable to say that we are 'all the same,' let us not come with such pretentious ideas; we believe quite different things, for different reasons. I have spoken with many Mormon missionaries and Elders; after hours and hours of conversation, it is clear where the Church of Jesus Christ, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints differ and part ways.
Feel free to continue your thoughts; I do appreicate them.
- Ruiz
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