Would a Mormon please explaing for me the differences between Mormonism...?

Question

And mainstream Protestant Christianity?

I've heard a lot (e.g., we can become gods, Satan is Jesus's brother) about Mormonism that has then been denied by some Mormons I have talked to. So I would appreciate it if a Mormon could give me an outline of the major points in which Mormonism departs from mainstream Protestant Christianity. If you have a link, that's fine too, so long as it specifically answers the question.

Answer 1

You may wish to explore the official site of the Latter Day Saints, it has quite a lot of information about their beliefs.

For a time I was raised in the LDS church, though I did leave in my teens. Some things that come to mind that vary from standard protestant belief::

Families can be together in Heaven forever by being "sealed" together in the temple.

Entrance into the temples themselves require a certain purity of the individual, only someone who is a full church member and who follows certain guidelines may enter.

People may be baptised even after death, if a church member stands in for that person. The dead soul would have to accept the offering of baptism in the afterlife before it would work, it isn't automatic.

There is belief in a spirit world, after death, a place of learning and preparation for things that will come after. After a time, the body and soul will be reunited.

There is the belief that we lived as souls in heaven prior to coming to earth. God offered all souls the opportunity to progress, and become more like God, by coming to earth and living life within a physical body. Those of us who are here (all of us) accepted the opportunity, and so decided, before we were born, to live the life we now have.

There is a belief in several tiers of heaven - some closer to presence of God, some farther away.

There is the belief that there are living prophets in modern times, who are inspired and spoken to by God and angels. The whole church is based off of this - the idea that Joseph Smith was granted a vision and given information to bring Christianity back to its intended purpose.

I do remember learning something about Jesus and Satan being brothers - but if I recall correctly, I was taught that we were all brothers and sisters in heaven, prior to being sent to earth.

There is the belief that at some point after Jesus returns and the revelation is completed, the earth will become a paradise. (I think, actually, that earth becomes the center of heaven, but my memory is a bit fuzzy there.)

Being saved isn't quite by grace alone. From the website:

"Jesus Christ did what only He could do in atoning for our sins. To make His Atonement fully effective in our individual lives, we must have faith in Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, obey God's commandments, and strive to become like Him. As we do these things through His Atonement, we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father forever."

Those are some of the things that I can recall offhand. It's been many years since I've been a part of the church and I don't remember a lot - and I was still young enough at the time that I didn't learn everything to begin with.

Answer 2

The most important points where we differ from "mainstream" protestant Christianity is that we believe in living prophets and apostles, continuing revelation from God, and extra-Biblical scripture.

The other stuff, it's a matter of getting our explanation, as opposed to the anti-Mormon's explanations.

Answer 3

Hello, Free Ranger:

You remember when Good news/badnews jokes were popular, don't you?

Well, seems a courier ran into the Vatican and said to Pope Benedict: "I've got some good news and some bad news. What do you want first?

Benedict: Give me the good news first.

Courier: Jesus is coming again. He has been sighted and He is returning to earth with multitudes of heavenly angels.

Benedict: Wonderful! Now, tell me the bad news!

Courier: He is landing in Utah at the Mormon Temple

Blessings and AGAPE, One-Way

P.S. A hidden Bible code authenticates Christ's mission in the only prophecy sealed "until the end of the days" at: www.revelado.org/revealed.htm

Answer 4

Jessica answered very well. I would add one more quote from Joseph Smith. ""We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all, wherever we find them." The thing I love most about my church is that we lift one anothers burdens. If another church does the same, I don't think a difference in theology means anything.

Answer 5

The mormons on Answers! will of course try to direct you to their website which does nothing to explain their differences. All the things that you pointed out in your question etc and that mormons deny can be proven by using their OWN texts The mormons seem to think us non mormons have got nothing better to do than make up lies about the mormon faith, when the only people that made up lies were the founders of the mormon church in the first place..

Answer 6

Go to the site below. It's the official church site. You can find the basic beliefs or use a search tool to answer your specific questions. The average Mormon isn't exactly a theologian any more than the average member of any other church.

http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.30b4d942d0dda7161b622015f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=5a7f3c7ff44f2010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0

Answer 7

I am not a Mormon, but I can answer the question. There are some places that you can go to get answers on specific aspects of this question.
mrm.org
bcmmin.org have articles on the key differences and the problems with the Mormon faith.

Answer 8

Latter-day Saints.

I am a baptised Gnostic (ie. latter-day saint) but not Mormon. But they believe in the mystical relationship with God and that Jesus manifested to Natives of the New World. (Not what I believe but to each their own)

Answer 9

I was raised LDS by convert parents and my husband is a descendant of pioneer stock in Utah and return missionary. As others have pointed out, the church sites are great websites to help you with understanding specific points of doctrine.

But let me see if I can answer some of your specific questions.

Becoming Gods - We believe that those that attain the highest degree of glory in heaven will have the opportunity to eternally progress. A good way to explain it is to look at the relationship of a good father and son. The father will always be the father to the son, respected and revered by his son. As the son grows, he will marry and have children of his own in his own time. But that will never negate the respect and reverance he has for his father. All good fathers want their children to grow to their maximum potential, they do not want their children to stay at home forever, telling them how wonderful they are. Our Heavenly Father is a perfect father. He does not simply wish for us to work our butts off in this life to earn a spot in heaven to tell Him how wonderful He is for eternity. Yes, He will always be our God. But he wants us to grow to our fullest potential, which means eternal progression. And just as the son on Earth will never catch up to his earthly father, they will always have the father-son relationship, we will never catch up to our Father in Heaven. He will always be our Heavenly Father and God.

Jesus and Satan as brothers. Yes, we do believe they are both spiritual children of our Heavenly Father, and therefore brothers. We believe that all people born on this Earth are the spirit children of our Heavenly Father. This is why we call one another Brother & Sister in church. We believe that Satan and his minions were also spirit children of our Heavenly Father, who denied his plan for us to recieve mortal bodies here on Earth, rebelled, and were thrown out of heaven.

Another point that Mormonism differs from mainstream Christianity is the Godhead vs. the Trinity. Most Christian religions believe in the Trinity, which states that God is one being who exists, simultaneously and eternally, as a mutual indwelling of three persons: the Father, the Son (incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth), and the Holy Spirit. Mormonism believes in the Godhead, which is the belief that consists of three separate and distinct beings (Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ & the Holy Ghost) who are one in purpose. As is stated in our first Article of Faith. "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

There are many other differences between Mormonism and Christianity. Too many to list them all here. In fact, I think it's easier to state what we agree on. We agree that Jesus the Christ is our Savior (though we disagree on the particulars of that salvation). We believe in God. That's about it.

Most of my family outside of my parents, spouse and children, are not Mormon. They are mostly Baptists, 7th Day Adventists, and non-Denominational (with a Muslim, Athiest, Agnostic and Jehovah's Witness thrown in here and there). I find that I have very little in common in my beliefs with most of them.

Answer 10

The Mormons on the surface are christian but the hierarchy is satanic and have deceived the lowers who are thinking they are doing right but they have been deceived by a satanic hierarchy, that's why you hear the strange things as satan and Jesus are brothers.
http://www.freedomcame.com/glory/