RE: Blurring the lines.
January 13, 2015 at 11:25 am
(This post was last modified: January 13, 2015 at 11:41 am by Mister Agenda.)
(January 12, 2015 at 1:36 pm)Drich Wrote: Actually that is what I am doing (I am taking it up with the people who call others Christian when they themselves call each other by a different name. )
For example Mormons are supposed followers of the prophet Moroni, and the third testament of the bible. They consider 'Christians' followers of the second testament which is has been corrupt over time. That is the reason for the distinction of 'latter day saints' and the title 'Mormon' over Christian.
Even so many here (Atheists) would argue that they are Christian when they themselves do not see it that way. So I am asking the lablers why do you insist that in this case Mormons are Christians?
It's no more a sign that Mormons aren't Christians for calling themselves Mormons than it is for Baptists calling themselves Baptists. Mormons identify as a Christian denomination. They believe Jesus is the son of God. That puts them in camp Christian.
(January 12, 2015 at 1:36 pm)Drich Wrote: As per my open ended defination I support one of the broadest ranges of Christianity of any formal denomination.
Unless you count the denominations that don't deny that Mormons are Christians.
(January 12, 2015 at 1:36 pm)Drich Wrote: I honestly think you guys (those who are guilty of this) lable people christian in a straw man effort to devalue or defame the religion, inorder to make an easier arguement.
You've already established that you're clear as mud in your ability to correctly discern what motivates the people to whom you talk. Another layer of make-believe on top of NT/OT only Christianity is just icing on the cake of what's wrong with a literal belief in the Bible. Can you quote anyone here using Mormonism to critique more traditional Christianity? While you're racking your head to come up with something to back up your claim, I'll save you the time by telling you no one has, because that would be stupid. Are you ever going to stop accusing us of the things that pop into your head as you type?
(January 12, 2015 at 1:36 pm)Drich Wrote: Actually it is, if you choose to speak about star wars fandom. How can you claim no responsiblity of a subject matter if you take the time to speak on it?
I don't care about Star Wars. I care about statements being true. If you say something I know to be incorrect and/or unfair, I will respond no matter what the topic is.
(January 12, 2015 at 1:36 pm)Drich Wrote: It would seem that most of you have a 'catholic' based understanding of Christianity.
It would seem you can't retain the information that we don't believe in God. And my education in Christianity was from a Pentecostal perspective, so there's another stupid assumption shot down.
(January 12, 2015 at 2:08 pm)Drich Wrote: 3.Latter-day Saints do not believe scripture consists of the Holy Bible alone but have an expanded canon of scripture that includes the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.
Further more Mormons believe that their cannon is open, meaning that the 'president' of Mormonism is in direct contact with God and can make changes as God changes his mind. Like the acceptance of Black people in 1979 (Prior to be anything other than white was a curse from God. The darker the skin the more God hated you)
Here is a quote from the last President of Mormonism on Jesus:
"In bearing testimony of Jesus Christ, President Hinckley spoke of those outside the Church who say Latter-day Saints 'do not believe in the traditional Christ.' 'No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. He together with His Father, appeared to the boy Joseph Smith in the year 1820, and when Joseph left the grove that day, he knew more of the nature of God than all the learned ministers of the gospel of the ages.'" (LDS Church News Week ending June 20, 1998, p. 7).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_B._Hinckley
In Mormonism, Jesus is a creation, the product of relations between god and his goddess wife who used to be people from another world (McConkie, Bruce, Mormon Doctrine, p. 192, 321, 516, 589). Jesus is the literal spirit brother of the devil and of you and me (McConkie, p. 192, 589). Also, in Mormon theology, God has a body of flesh and bones (Doctrine & Covenants 130:22) as does his wife, and together they produce spirit offspring in heaven who inhabit human bodies on earth.
Very few, if any, of the 'different' Mormon doctrines are found in their Standard Works: the Bible, The Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. Rather, they are taught by Mormons of high standing: prophets, apostles, members of the 70 Quorum. McConkie, for example, was a member of the 70's Quorum, a very high ranking Mormon, and wrote the book, Mormon Doctrine, from which much of the documentation for this is taken.
Monson The current President of the LDS has done/said nothing to correct Hinkley.
Chris·tian/ˈkrisCHən/
adjective
of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings.
noun
a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.
(January 12, 2015 at 2:36 pm)Drich Wrote: Ok then, I'm a God believing Atheist! Or does Atheism have rules that prevent me from both believing in God and calling myself an atheist?
No, atheism has no rules preventing that. It doesn't even need to be capitalized unless it's at the beginning of a sentence or part of a proper name (like American Atheists) because it's not a proper noun. Neither is theism.
You can call yourself whatever you want, we can't stop you, and it wouldn't really be right to do so if we could. You wouldn't actually be an atheist, because definition, but you can certainly call yourself one.
(January 12, 2015 at 2:38 pm)Drich Wrote:(January 12, 2015 at 2:27 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: It just comes down to a giant "nuh uh" contest. Mormons claim to be Christian, Drich says "nu uh", several Protestant sects say Catholics aren't christians, catholic church says "nu uh", Drich claims to be a real Christian, <insert random sect here> says "nu uh".
There's no end to the circle, because there's no "true christian" test.
Yet, i'm willing to bet there is a test to be deemed an atheist. Other than what a person claims for themselves.
Same at the 'theist test': 'Do you believe in a god or God, yes or no?'
The Christian test, on the other hand, is: Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus and in following his teachings, yes or no?
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.