Christianity and Islam differ in whether they believe Jesus is the son of God, and whether he died for our sins and was resurrected. Mormons do believe this. Mormons read the Bible as holy scripture while Muslims reject it as a corruption of true teachings.
They believe that when a Mormon man dies, he gets his own planet to be the god of with his potentially many wives. And that God is one of many in a long line of gods, and there was a beginning to this chain of gods. But also they still claim to be monotheistic. The first “star” was named Kolob, they have a hymn about it. They have their own idea of the after life, and before life, that are very distinct from mainstream Christianity. Mormons may claim to care about the old and new testament, and they do to an extent, but they care a lot more about the book of Mormon. They also have secret hand shakes, have to wear special underwear at all times*, and can get baptized for people that are already dead. Like, sure, they claim they are just Christianity with a DLC extension, but so much of their belief comes from the book of Mormon, and they put so little focus on the old and new testament that I think it is safe to classify it as its own separate religion.
They believe that when a Mormon man dies, he gets his own planet to be the god of with his potentially many wives.
So? Heaven being a location in physical space is compliant with Biblical texts. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Might this not refer to countless planets in infinite space?
And that God is one of many in a long line of gods, and there was a beginning to this chain of gods. But also they still claim to be monotheistic.
I believe people have written entire books on the polytheistic nature of early Judaism, and there remain a few Bible passages as evidence of prior henotheism. (“God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods”, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, etc.) But for me what really matters is whether Christ is at the center. Sure Paul might have said that there are no other gods, but why does Paul have more legitimacy than Joseph Smith? There are Christians who question the divine nature of individual texts because they were written by humans, and because it contradicts itself on more than one occasion. To be a Christian is not necessarily to accept the entire Bible as literal truth.
mainstream Christianity.
Why make this distinction? Is western Sunday school Protestant the only real way to be Christian? I’ve pointed out in another post that Catholicism has tons of extra-Biblical beliefs, but they’re still Christians. They’re more polytheistic in practice than Mormons.
You reference details like Kolob and handshakes, and to them I have to ask, so what? Can you quote Jesus saying these things are untrue? There are so many types of Christians doing wildly different things. Some believe that witchcraft and demons are real, and some believe they’re fake. Some are acting out seizures and speaking in tongues. Some think God is found in church and others think he’s in every aspect of nature. Whole wars have been fought over whose version of Christianity is real and correct because no one agrees on any of this stuff, and they all keep making up their own beliefs on top of interpreting texts in different ways.
I think it is safe to classify it as its own separate religion.
Ok, believe what ever you want. The Mormon cult believes in a lot of batshit insane stuff, and was started by a pedophilic con man. Personally, I think they are different enough to be classified separately, but I guess you see it differently and that’s fine.
Christianity and Islam differ in whether they believe Jesus is the son of God, and whether he died for our sins and was resurrected. Mormons do believe this. Mormons read the Bible as holy scripture while Muslims reject it as a corruption of true teachings.
They believe that when a Mormon man dies, he gets his own planet to be the god of with his potentially many wives. And that God is one of many in a long line of gods, and there was a beginning to this chain of gods. But also they still claim to be monotheistic. The first “star” was named Kolob, they have a hymn about it. They have their own idea of the after life, and before life, that are very distinct from mainstream Christianity. Mormons may claim to care about the old and new testament, and they do to an extent, but they care a lot more about the book of Mormon. They also have secret hand shakes, have to wear special underwear at all times*, and can get baptized for people that are already dead. Like, sure, they claim they are just Christianity with a DLC extension, but so much of their belief comes from the book of Mormon, and they put so little focus on the old and new testament that I think it is safe to classify it as its own separate religion.
So? Heaven being a location in physical space is compliant with Biblical texts. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Might this not refer to countless planets in infinite space?
I believe people have written entire books on the polytheistic nature of early Judaism, and there remain a few Bible passages as evidence of prior henotheism. (“God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods”, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, etc.) But for me what really matters is whether Christ is at the center. Sure Paul might have said that there are no other gods, but why does Paul have more legitimacy than Joseph Smith? There are Christians who question the divine nature of individual texts because they were written by humans, and because it contradicts itself on more than one occasion. To be a Christian is not necessarily to accept the entire Bible as literal truth.
Why make this distinction? Is western Sunday school Protestant the only real way to be Christian? I’ve pointed out in another post that Catholicism has tons of extra-Biblical beliefs, but they’re still Christians. They’re more polytheistic in practice than Mormons.
You reference details like Kolob and handshakes, and to them I have to ask, so what? Can you quote Jesus saying these things are untrue? There are so many types of Christians doing wildly different things. Some believe that witchcraft and demons are real, and some believe they’re fake. Some are acting out seizures and speaking in tongues. Some think God is found in church and others think he’s in every aspect of nature. Whole wars have been fought over whose version of Christianity is real and correct because no one agrees on any of this stuff, and they all keep making up their own beliefs on top of interpreting texts in different ways.
Christianity isn’t a singular religion.
Ok, believe what ever you want. The Mormon cult believes in a lot of batshit insane stuff, and was started by a pedophilic con man. Personally, I think they are different enough to be classified separately, but I guess you see it differently and that’s fine.