Re: Descendants and Thomas Trap
Moorad Alexanian (alexanian@UNCWIL.EDU)
Sun, 29 Nov 1998 12:08:08 -0500 (EST)
At 02:39 PM 11/28/98 -0500, Vince D. Calhoun wrote:
>At 09:48 AM 11/27/98 -0700, Burgy wrote:
>>
>>Mormonism I'm not sure of. I've had a Mormon colleague, with whom I
>>worked closely. He would have liked to persuade me to be a Mormon, but
>>that was a minor part of our relationship. That the book of Mormon is
>>fraudulent seems evident (to me). But I do not exclude them from
>>Christianity, as some fundamentalist groups do. No more than I exclude
>>the guys at ICR. Can people be brought to a saving faith in Christ by
>>teachings and preachings which are non-factual? The answer seems to be
>>obviously "yes."
>
> I also risk a charge of pedantry here, but I do feel a need to take issue
>with what appears to be a statement that Mormons should be included as
>Christians. If by that you simply mean that they have a false teaching,
>but they can still come to a saving faith I would agree, but if you mean
>that their teaching in fact should be included within the definition of
>Christianity I would disagree there. From what I understand of their
>doctrine, they teach that Mormon males have the possibility of attaining
>Godhood and also that God himself was once a man. Or how about the Father,
>Son, and Holy Spirit as one in purpose but separate in being? This only
>scratches the surface of many discrepancies which are not minor at all and
>contradict the Bible in key areas, and even the statement of faith of the
>ASA. This is quite a difference from the comparison of ICR or young/old
>earth, and many other discussions which occur on this list which I would in
>fact include within the definition of Christian. There are central issues
>(e.g. the Deity of Christ) and non-central issues (e.g. evolution). Also,
>I would propose that it is not the non-factual teachings and preachings
>which are bringing them (or brought you) to a saving faith, but rather the
>incongruity between these and the truth as revealed by God. And finally
>another self-reminder that it is of course not for me to judge who is and
>isn't a Christian, that is God's role. However it is also not for me to
>water down God's definition of Christianity especially in such key areas.
>
>In Christ,
>
>Vince
The Bible and the Book of Mormons are not consistent. Mormonism co-opts the
Christian vocabulary and sets Scripture upside down. Their moral
teaching--minus polygamy--may be sound but their theology is totally
unchristian.
Moorad