LifeWay Research just came out with a new survey that is shocking in my view. They surveyed 1000 American Protestant pastors and asked them if they personally consider Mormons to be Christians. Only 75% believed they are not Christian. Of the rest, 16% think they are Christians and 9% didn’t know. Pastors, mind you. You have got to be kidding!
Up until relatively recent times, Mormons didn’t want to be associated with Christianity, themselves. Then, they figured out that by associating themselves with the Christian faith they could gain more respectability. So they began a PR campaign to make-over their image. Now they try to claim that they are a Christian denomination, but just have a few minor differences with most other Christian groups.
Well, it is true that they have some differences – but not just minor ones.
- They believe there are many gods and that good Mormons have the opportunity, themselves to become a god.
- They understand human beings to have pre-existed in the spirit world before their birth on earth by virtue of the sexual relations of their god and his wife.
- They do not see Jesus as the only means of salvation.
What we have here is a different answer than what Christianity gives to every one of the essentials of a belief system. They do not come anywhere near being Christian.
Just the other day, a pastor made national news by asserting that Mormonism is a cult. Political correctness has gone so far these days that a pastor can’t even state the obvious truth without creating controversy.
The fact is, Mormonism is a cult! As Christians, we need to love people who follow this belief system and try to share Christ with them. But we must not succumb to the temptation to tippy-toe around the truth. We need to get up to speed on what constitutes true faith and stand strong in it.