What is the real differences between the Mormon belief and a regular Christian's belief.?

Question

I had been asked to come to a mormon church just to see what it is like. So I did go with lots of caution. I didn't really see much differences in their belief and my own. The only thing that I can see different is the way the take sacriment and we call what we do communinon. The both religions belief in Christ came as a man, died on the cross and roses again. The services are different as there isn't much praise and worship like what I am use to. Plus they talk too much about Joseph more then they talk about Christ. I did tell the person that had invited me that I wasn't interested after I checked it out. Not for me. So what do you think about that??

Answer 1

It really depends on where you go as to what kind of experience you're going to get.

I'm Pagan, but I attend church with my Mormon parents-in-law when I visit them in Virginia, but I've never heard a single word uttered about Joseph Smith, and I've heard many about Jesus.

There are many little differences, but essentially Mormonism and other Christian faiths are the same.

One difference is that Mormons don't believe in the Trinity - they believe that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three separate entities instead of three aspects of one entity. And, if you do your research, you'll find that the idea of a Triune god is actually a Pagan ideal - one of many stolen by Christianity in it's earlier years.

They also have more respect for others' beliefs and their right to have them. They do evangelize during 2-year long missions (which are optional), but they do not push the issue if they are told that someone is not interested (at least, they're not supposed to).

They believe in three different "layers" of Heaven: Celestial (the best/top), Terrestrial, and Telestial (the bottom/worst). They also believe in Hell, but they believe that Hell is only reserved for those of truly unforgivable evil. Even if you are not Mormon, so long as you have lived a reasonably good life, they believe that you can still go to Heaven, however you cannot reach the Celestial level unless you follow every commandment, are married in the Temple, etc. The Celestial level is where it is believed that God and Jesus themselves reside.

They are also the only denomination that uses additional scripture in conjunction with the Bible. They do not favor it over the Bible as many believe (not all of them, anyway), but they do have three extra books that they regard as scripture: The Book of Mormon (for which they are nicknamed), Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

They also believe in one additional prophet, which no other Christian Church acknowledges: Joseph Smith.

Last, but not least, they believe that as "man was created in God's image," God was once a man Himself, under the rule of another god when He was human. I don't fully understand the conditions, but I know that it is believed that under certain circumstances, you can reach godly status after you die, and are given the power to create and control a planet as God created and controls this one.

To my understanding, these are the most prominent differences between LDS faith and other Christian faiths.

Answer 2

I think Pinky covered it. I'm glad you went and saw for yourself. So many people just accept what they're told.

I guess if I could add anything to Pinky's answer it would be that we believe that through Priesthood power, those holding it and those having certain keys (not physical keys) have the power to act in the name of Jesus Christ. In other words, they/we have the Authority to act in Jesus' name. To perform ordenances like baptism and eternal marriage with the Authority to do so. Protestant churches believe that that authority is given to all Christians. We beleive it wasn't.
Sometimes different talks are given which may result in mentioning Joseph Smith's name more than other talks. We're not ashamed to mention or talk about Joseph Smith, he did an amazing and wonderful thing. But we don't worship him. We only worship God & Jesus Christ. We're not ashamed to mention or talk about that either. Most of the time that is who we talk about.
We also believe that from the time of Joseph Smith, there have been and still are Prophet's on the earth and that they are God's chosen servant to lead and guide the church today. The head of the church is not the Prophet, but Jesus Christ.

Answer 3

Mormons are quite different from mainstream Christians. First, they don't believe that there is only one god. They believe that true believers may one day become gods themselves. There is a saying that goes "As man is now, so god once was. As god is now, so man may become."

Mormons also take as scripture a book presumed to have been translated by Joseph Smith, who was the founder of that religion. The original texts from which the translation came are not available for examination.

These are the two major differences.

Answer 4

The others are right; Mormonism is a cult, plain and simple, no way around it. I won't shove my opinions down the other users' throats; if you want the details of it all, do a little investigating and you will surely find them. But for now: Mormons don't believe in God Almighty. If they try to say they do, THEY ARE LYING. Mormons believe there is a God for each universe, but if there are gods for every "universe" and each of them is equally as powerful as the other, the concept of "almighty" is purely, unequivocally impossible. Most Mormons will respond to this no doubt bold assertment with, "Have you even read the Book of Mormon?" As a matter of fact, yes, I have. And in it Joseph Smith made it very clear his opinion of the plurality of gods. Take, for example, this quote by Joseph Smith in "History of the Church," Vol 6, pp. 308, 474:

"In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it....In all congregations when I have preached on the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods."

Interesting. But in the Bible it says there is ONE God - not one God per universe - ONE GOD. And he is GOD ALMIGHTY. That alone invalidates Mormonism, and you'll find that many other stray facts about "the Church" can debunk decades of blind following as well. How about Joseph Smith in "History of the Church," Vol 6, pp.408,409, when he said:

"I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet."

You're right Joe, you're better than Jesus. You're not a cult leader!

What a crock. Mormons are taught to be scared of conversion, plain and simple, and when you face them with these arguments they will always react in a string of contrived rhetorical answers, each of them undoubtedly irrelevant and invalid to the topic at hand. All you can do is pray for them and keep confronting them with the truth; but NEVER make the mistake of placing Mormonism in the category of Catholicism or some other Christian sect; it is NOT A CHRISTIAN RELIGION; it is a CULT.

Answer 5

The main difference between Mormons and other Christians is that Mormons believe that God still speaks through prophets today, while other Christians believe that when the Bible ended that revelation ended. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. It seems to my logical that we would need prophets to tell us the will of God today more than ever.

Answer 6

What the Mormons believe (that Jesus came to North America, that an angel of God gave new scriptures on plates to Joseph Smith, etc.) is absurd- but no more absurd than what 'normal Christians' believe to someone who doesn't believe any of it.

What Smith did is no different from what Moses did, really. Moses' story just seems more credible to us because it happened so long ago.

Answer 7

I don't know much about this, I did once see a commercial about receiving a free bible, I asked the lady over the phone the difference and she said something about the translation of today. she also talked a lot on Joseph smith. when i did research on him i found that he was a false prophet. I don't think I want that bible anymore, besides, I may have asked too many questions because no one has ever contacted me back.

Answer 8

There is one important thing that is essential for you to know about Mormonism: the difference between the Mormon's Jesus and the Jesus of Christianity.

Mormons believe that Jesus opened the door for us to be saved. However, in order to be saved, you have to live a worthy life--and walk through the door yourself. Therefore, Mormons believe you are saved by works--and after you do everything in your power to be righteous, that's when Jesus' grace kicks in.

Christians believe that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. It's through our faith in Jesus that we're saved. As Romans 3:20-end says, we're saved by grace alone, but our faith in Jesus convicts us to follow the law.

This may seem like a small difference between Mormons and Christians, but it's HUGE!! Therefore, even though Mormons call themselves Christian (and say they have to be since their church has His name in it and since they have the BOM.."another testament of Christ"...then they have to be Christian). HOWEVER, when you get to the HEART of who Jesus Christ is, Mormons are not Christians--at least Christians in the common use of the term-- They believe in a Jesus, but he's definitely not the same Jesus Christ as mainstream Christianity.

Answer 9

Mormons deny the deity of Christ and his blood atonement. To them, he is just a guy that died on the cross. That is probably the reason they talk about them or as you noted dont talk about him as much because he isnt that important to them in the grand scheme of things.

To make matters worse they believe that one day they will be like God himself. They believe that God evolved basically into what he is now and man is destined to do the same. Quite different if you ask me.

Answer 10

Mormons believe in Jesus Christ. He is our Redeemer. Although, Joseph Smith played an important role in helping restore truths of the gospel it is the resurrected Jesus Christ whom we worship.

James 1:5 tells us that we can ask God if we lack wisdom. If we ask God in sincere prayer He will help us find answers. Please pray about your decision.