Romney = Cult
Posted by Todd Rhoades in Current Events on Oct 10th, 2011 | 23 commentsFirst Baptist Church of Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress last week introduced Rick Perry at a major conference of Christian conservatives as “a genuine follower of Jesus Christ” and then walked outside and attacked Mitt Romney’s religion, calling the Mormon Church a cult and stating that Mr. Romney “is not a Christian.”
The Perry campaign sought to put some distance between Mr. Perry and Mr. Jeffress, stating that the governor “does not believe Mormonism is a cult” and that Mr. Jeffress was chosen to speak by the organizers of the event, the Values Voter Summit, which was put on by the Family Research Council, the American Family Association and other evangelical Christian groups.
via NYTimes.com.
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OK… what do you think of this?
Do most of us (and maybe I’m speaking out of turn here) view Mormonism as a cult?
Was Jeffress right to call it that publicly?
Was Jeffress right to say that Romney is not a Christian?
Even if that’s what he thinks (and even if I might agree with him)… should he have said it?
It certainly wasn’t the politically correct thing to say.
So… my question to you… should he have said that? Give a brief explanation of why you think he should have or shouldn’t have.
Todd
23 Responses to “ “Romney = Cult”
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Mormonism can be a different religion without being a cult. And in my opinion, as a representative of the kingdom of God, he should not have said it, since it was likely to have been misunderstood and to drag the gospel into disrepute. But, I imagine be was acting as a representative if the Perry campaign. Different agenda.
Yes. No. No, and No.
Two kinds of public high profile Pastoral leaders that lay royal “eggs” are those who say too little and those who say too much.
I’m not sure if the condition of a man’s soul is something for public forum, especially one that involves the political profile of a candidate for President. As you said Todd, we may agree. I’m not sure what “ground” he was trying to gain by making these statements publicly, but it didn’t really help anyone, it didn’t “enlighten” anyone and it didn’t help Gov. Perry, if indeed that was his motive.
GetReligion.org had an excellent article sorting out what was said, what was heard, and what may have been meant:
http://www.getreligion.org/2011/10/reporters-baptists-romney-cults/
There is nothing more ironic than a baptist claiming that the Mormons are not real christians when after the catholic church (the one and only original and universal christian church) considers baptists to not be “real” christians. Forrest Gump said it best: “Stupid is as stupid does”
If you want to hear more about bigoted christians take a listen to this consertive christian speak on the matter. here is the youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihj-RmI5TCI
Tom, you do realize that claiming the Catholic church is “the one and only original and universal christian church” is – to put it as charitably as possible – a highly disputed assertion.
Here’s another one: I’m a Baptist, and I’ve known Baptists who claim that THEIRS is the only original church because it was begun by John the Baptist (seriously! There are 22 different denominations of Baptists and that is the official stance of at least one of them). Sounds laughable, no? So does your claim to non-Catholic ears, and history is not kind to your claim. So please avoid the use of the s-word (“stupid”) and don’t take my word for it: read Matthew 5:22.
Wow, if Mormonism isn’t a cult, then Dr. Walter Martin must be wrong. Of course, the LDS people bend their knee to a god who their own leaders say was once a mortal man. I guess the definitions and role of the Godhead need to be reexamined by the Christian community.
Mormonism is a different religion but a political campaign is not a place to have that discussion or debate. Nothing can be gained by it except being divisive.
I love how the secular world wants to be able to define, for christians, what “tolerance” means for those of us who hold to the historic Christian faith.
For them, “tolerance” is supposed to mean that everybody is right and nobody is wrong, and if we don’t believe that, we’re intolerant. Just because we are not (and CAN not be) relativistic.
Tolerance by definition means I “tolerate” you, not that I agree that we are somehow all correct at the same time. And if I think that Mormonism is not the historic, authentic Christian faith (which, by definition, it is not) I am somehow a bigot.
Give me a break…
That said, if somebody was trying to help Perry here, it was a major fail.
I am thankful he responded the way he did. He was asked a question and gave an honest answer. this was no revelation and any believer when asked the question like it or not would have to respond similarly. There was a time not so very long ago when mormons did NOT want to be identified at Christians. this is not a grey area this is black and white.
“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.’”
- Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley, LDS Church News, June 20, 1998, p.7
“He that confesseth not that Jesus has come in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fullness of the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is anti-christ”
- Prophet Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.312
“Too many evangelicals want their pastors to be politicians and their politicians to be pastors. That’s a pitiful reversal.” – Dr. Russell Moore
It is probably important to look at the definition of the word cult. We tend to think of people/organizations like David Koresh’s and others in more modern days, but according to the definition here – http://www.gotquestions.org/cult-definition.html (by the way, http://www.gotquestions.org also has some good articles on the basic beliefs of Mormon’s and how they are similar or different to the Scriptures) – Joseph Smith and those who follow his teachings are hardly considered “Christians” and therefore very much be connected to a false religion/false prophet, which demands cult-like obedience and devotion. Very ‘politically incorrect’ to suggest such a thing, but Scripture writers don’t seem to hesitate to call it out. And, for centuries, neither have most evangelical Christians.
From a different angle, here is a thought. I travel to a lot of countries and work with pastors and leaders. If Mitt is elected, it will give rapid acceptance of the Mormon religion in parts of the world where it has not gained momentum.
Whether we are or not, much of the world still perceives us as a Christian Nation and our leaders as Christian leaders. We will export Mormonism in a big way if he is elected.
Todd,
This conversation raises a completely different conversation that could be the subject of a different post. Whether a truly committed Christian run for political office at the national or state level. It seems to me that if you enter politics, you have to compromise your faith. After Pastor Jeffress made a truly biblical point, all of the Christian politicians started back-pedaling. Does this mean that in order to win an election, you have to leave your faith at home. The message here is these guys/gals are politicians first and Christians second.
As to the original question, Pastor Jeffress has stated a truly biblical point and has no obligation to apologize. Mitt Romney would not say it, but the Mormon Church’s view is that after the original apostles died, the Church became apostate (that includes all protestants and catholics). In other words, Mormons view Christians (whether baptist or catholic) as cultists. Ask yourself this, when was the last time you, as a non-Mormon were invited to attend a service inside a Mormon Temple.
I’m glad he pointed it out but I fear where it will lead. The right or wrong on this won’t be sorted out today or tomorrow but in a few years. There is such a large shift in thinking that hasn’t been forced on people but more that people are just plain apathetic. I wonder if anyone really cares whether Romney is a Mormon. I know it’s a false religious system that worships a false god and a false christ. All lower case. According to CNN Romney believes in God and Jesus. Is that all people will hear? Time will tell.
It’s ironic how some are suggesting that Romney’s faith has no bearing, yet four years ago Jeremiah Wright had EVERYTHING to do with Obama’s credibility. In addition he was called everything from a Muslim to the Antichrist.
For the record yes I regard Mormonism as a cult of Christianity and the GOP are hypocrites to suggest otherwise.
Cult, yes, MJ.
But most (?) of “Christianity” does not accept Mormonism as a bona fide “Christian” religion at all.
I see that my post showing how the catholics think of the baptists as a cult got quietly deleted by the cult of Todd Rhoades. Apparently only Todd’s loyal lap dogs are allowed to post here. You guys are amazing. And you are all bigots in sheep’s clothing. Jesus is embarrassed for you.
Here again is the youtube link showing William Bennett scolding all you bigots for the embarrassment that you are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihj-RmI5TCI&feature=related
Watch it quick before Todd deletes it again because it doesn’t conform to the political agenda of Todd.
on a good note due to the controversy on the way home from a debate tournament in a car filled with lds teens one asked why baptist dont think Mormons are Christians. I was able to first have her help establish what who the lds jesus is and explain what the Christian view of Christ is. We also defined what qualify s you as a christian in the lds eyes and then in the Christian world. it was a clarifying conversation and I hope she will stay on the path of investigation. We talked bible, The Body of Christ, Godhead ect… all because of this controversy ; ).
Mormonism is a cult, period. Jesus is a created being, the brother of Satan? God has a great, great, great grandfather? God (who used to be a man just like us) is having sex every day with his multiple wives to populate the earth? Come on!!!
Mormonism is a cult. Period.
Who are the real Christians? Better check your APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
Dr. John M. Reiner, a known Roman Catholic scholar and faculty member of Villanova University who had nearly a dozen languages at his command and seemed to know a great deal about law, literature, history, and science, visited Salt lake City in January 1898.
One day he told Elder Orson R. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve: “You Mormons are all ignoramuses. You don’t even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only one other position tenable in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Roman Catholic Church.”
“The issue is between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, you are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that’s all there is to it. The Protestant sects haven’t a leg to stand on; for if we are right, we cut them off long ago as apostates; and if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us.”
“If we have the APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION from St. Peter, as we claim, there is no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism’s attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days.”
As a former Catholic, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) is the most fundamental christian religion based on the King James bible. If you need to learn more, visit http://www.MORMON.org
Note: Dr. Reiner is also a member of Association of Catholic Colleges in the United States.