[lit-ideas] Re: Comparative religion

Andy says that he doesn't 'really understand the Mormons other than that 
they are not Christians.'

One could see how traditional versions of Christianity would exclude 
'Mormonism' but Mormons themselves believe they are Christians, even 
though their account of Christ's life includes, e.g. his well-known 
visit to America. The official named of the sect is after all 'The 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.'

Here are a few lines from the LDS official website FAQ:

http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-55-16,00.html

Question:

Are you Christians?

Answer:

Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints, said:

"We are Christians in a very real sense and that is coming to be more 
and more widely recognized. Once upon a time people everywhere said we 
are not Christians. They have come to recognize that we are, and that we 
have a very vital and dynamic religion based on the teachings of Jesus 
Christ."

"We, of course, accept Jesus Christ as our Leader, our King, our Savior. 
The dominant figure in the history of the world, the only perfect Man 
who ever walked the earth, the living Son of the living God. He is our 
Savior and our Redeemer through whose atoning sacrifice has come the 
opportunity of eternal life."

"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pray and 
worship in the name of Jesus Christ. He is the center of our faith and 
the head of our Church. The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus 
Christ and witnesses of His divinity, His life, and His Atonement."

I was interested in the relationship between Mormonism and traditional 
Christianity because when I was thirteen or fourteen a pair of young 
Mormon missionaries came to the door when I was the only person home and 
began their pitch by asking if I believed in Jesus Christ. Unwilling to 
admit in public that I was inclined to be sceptical about Christian 
doctrine, as set forth by the sermons in the local Methodist church, I 
said I did. This gave them an opening through which they passed by a 
commodious vicus of logic which I can no longer remember from a belief 
in Christ to the truths of Mormonism.

My grandmother came home some time during this presentation, and 
although she greeted the missionaries politely, she made it clear that 
in her staunch Methodist view they were, theologically, mere vacuum 
cleaner salesmen.

Robert Paul
Reed College
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