[lit-ideas] Re: Comparative religion

This is very informative, thanks.  From the web site it says: "We solemnly
testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began
in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father,
the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world."  They're
certainly Christians, but they don't say exactly how Christ came to be and
what happened to him here on earth.  It would be tough to get from
Bethlehem to America, so ambiguity may be an asset in such a case. 
Presumably Christ came to America to bury the religious treasure that
Joseph Smith found in that hill in New England where they gather each
summer.  An American God, imagine that.  How nice to know we have one.  

Andy Amago



> [Original Message]
> From: Robert Paul <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 3/8/2005 11:37:18 PM
> Subject: [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.ht
ml
>
> 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
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
> digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html


------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html

Other related posts: