Why do Mormons and Catholics claim to be Christians?

Question

Doesn't the very belief structure of both religions totally contradict the definition of a Christian? The definition of the term "Christian" according to Dictionary.com is a person who believes in Jesus Christ; a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ. Now does that describe Mormonism or Catholicism? I don't think so. If you disagree please explain in detail.

You are still not answering the question! If a Christian is a follower of Christ and the Catholic church follows God as a whole and primarily focuses on Mary the mother of Jesus and Mormonism doesn't follow the Bible completely (since they put more emphasis on the book of Mormon than the Bible) so how can they be Christian again. Catholics are Catholics and Mormons are Mormons they cannot be Christians because they do not follow Christ. The focal point of Christianity. Not the trinity or Mary or some crazy being that Joseph Smith saw somewhere in North America who told him to go to the lake of salt or any saints or anything else JUST CHRIST! JESUS CHRIST! JESUS OF NAZARETH!

Answer 1

I am a christian. But not because of religion, because I realized that I could have new life through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
That is what true Christianity is.
Not works, not religon, Just faith in Jesus and living and obeying his word, the bible

Answer 2

The definition you provided says nothing about the Bible or other scriptures, so I don't see how you can say that the Book of Mormon keeps us from being Christian. Your logic doesn't follow. Why the big need to prove that either are not Christian? I've known a few Catholics and they all look to Jesus for their salvation, as do all the Mormons I know and try to "exemplify in their lives the teachings of Christ." That is a very broad definition and encompasses both Catholics and Christians.

Answer 3

Actually, the only qualification of being a Christian is that they belong to or follow the teachings of a Christian religious organization, which Catholics and Mormons all do. First of all, Catholicism and Mormonism are only two sects of Christianity. Baptists, Evangelists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, and other Protestant churches are only a few more. All of them have a different view of what makes somebody a Christian.
Many so-called Christians are very far from exemplifying "the teachings of Christ." But they still believe they are Christian, and the still call themselves Christians, so to themselves they are Christians and many other Christians accept them as that, too.
None of that makes any sense to me. I mean, I and other Witches/Wiccans/Pagans in general would never accept somebody as a Witch who went out and murdered somebody for the heck of it, but Christians do accept multi-murders as members of their faith and say that since these murderers have "found Jesus" in prison, then they are good Christians who don't deserve their punishment for murdering people. It's just a bunch of propaganda crap.
Our Moral Codes don't allow for murder, sacrifice, or anything of that sort, but Christians seem to accept these things much more easily. I do not understand why. If somebody does not really follow the tenets of Christianity or any other religion, then how can they actually be part of that religion?
Catholicism is far older than the Protestant religions that call themselves Christians. Mormonism, on the other hand, is apparently less than 200 years old and many of those who call themselves Mormons are violating peoples' natural human rights by forcing young girls to all marry men who are twice their age or older. Those people are clearly some kind of brainwashing cult, not real Christians.

Also, keep in mind that Jesus was a Jew and nearly all early Christians were, too. Jews had some different beliefs depending on what sect they belonged to, and Christians have taken that even further. There are more Christian sects than anybody can count and none of them believe exactly the same thing.

Answer 4

No, they ARE two different sects of Christianity. They DO have a focus on Jesus Christ as described in the Gospels (and in turn the New Testament). Thus by definition they ARE Christian. The only people who say otherwise are other Christians who have a bias towards their OWN sect.

The Catholics might be heavy on the ceremonial expression, and the Mormons may have some additional scripture, but both still treat the Bible as the #1 canon and both are centered around Jesus (Catholics in fact view Peter as the first Pope, who was personally instructed by Jesus to build their church).

Answer 5

I am sorry but most of you are mistaken. Christian are those that follow the teaching of Christ, be it Paul, Peter or John: Christians were before Catholic Religion (the Catholics came after Christians). Original Christians were mostly Charistamic Jews and Gentiles. God is ahead of the Christian Church.

Peter 4:12 [ Paul Suffering for Being a Christian ].

Acts 11:26 "and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

The pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church. He and the magisterium (the teaching authority of the Church) clarify doctrine. Mary, the mother of Jesus is honored above all. defination: The Christian church characterized by an episcopal hierarchy with the pope as its head and belief in seven sacraments.


Mormons try to attract new members by projecting an image of wholesome family life in their circles. This is an illusion—Mormon Utah has higher than average rates for suicide, divorce, and other domestic problems than the rest of the country. And if Mormonism’s public image of large, happy families, and marriage bring to mind anything, it is polygamy.

The Mormons’ theory is that Christ also established his Church here, among the Indians, where it eventually flopped, as did his original effort in Palestine. Section 132 of Doctrine and Covenants is officially subtitled this way: "Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also plurality of wives.") Yet this position was dropped when Washington, D.C., threatened to deny statehood to Utah. Similarly, and more recently, a "revelation," saying blacks would no longer be denied the Mormon priesthood, was given to Mormon leaders when the federal government became involved.

The religion Joseph Smith developed elements of various forms of Protestantism. The emphasis on "temperance"—means outright abstinence of alcohol—is one such borrowing from another religion. This attitude is contrary to the Bible. It is one of those doctrines, shared by Fundamentalists and Mormons, that is believed independently of the Bible, though the Bible has been searched unsuccessfully for verses that seem to back it. Wine was used also at weddings, and our Lord clearly approved of the practice of wine drinking since he made wine from water when the wine was depleted at Cana (John 2:1–11). 1 Tim. 3:8). Jesus, you will recall, was called a wine-drinker (Matt. 11:19).

Mormonism teaches that practically no one is forever damned to hell. Aside from Satan, his spirit followers, and perhaps a half-dozen notorious sinners, all people who have ever existed will share in heavenly "glory." Not, mind you, all in the same heaven. There are, in fact, three heavens and Mormans are expected that the best Mormons at the top of the list will have a "heaven" reserved for these devout Mormons. They further believe those who go on will become "gods," and rulers of their own universes.

this is absurd, furthermore they will have their wives and children "sealed" to them during an earthly, temple ceremony, these men-gods will procreate billions of spirits and place them into future, physical bodies. These future children will then worship their father-gods, obeying Mormon commandments, and eventually take their place in the eternal progression to their own godhood. to get their own heaven. Is this nuts or what?

People need to know the the real doctrine of their religious belief of which they beyond. I had to leave the Baptist Church to become a Christian. Read some info. and see the links below. Not many Mormans know that they believe Satan and Jesus Christ are/were brothers or that they will become"gods" in their own new universe.

Answer 6

Catholics (specifically Jesuits) are one of the few sects of Christianity I respect. They concentrate specifically on the teachings of Jesus, take a contextual instead of literal interpretation of the Bible (which keeps them from silly beliefs like burning bushes talking, men being swallowed by giant fishes, and conversations with talking snakes in gardens), and have extrapolated the teachings Jesus into two of the most powerful ideas I have ever encountered from a religion: To be a man for others and all people have dignity.
I think it would be a more pertinent question to see why rich people think they are Christian when Jesus (your Saviour) SPECIFICALLY stated "It is easier to for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven". Don't say accepting Jesus as your saviour gets you off; being a Christian mean following his teachings not just saying you're forgiven.
Mormons I don't very much about, so I'll refrain commentary right now.

Answer 7

I cannot speak for the Mormons, as I am not one of them; however, their largest grouping is called "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". That would give a clue that Jesus Christ figures into their theology in some way, although that way may not be identical with that of mainstream Christianity.

I'm Roman Catholic, and guess who we worship at church every week? Jesus Christ, the son of God and Savior of mankind. The Roman Catholic Church is considered by any objective source as being the statistically largest Christian denomination. Look it up in any encyclopedia, and see for yourself. Catholics have been Christians since very early Christian history. History itself will tell you that Protestantism split from a very large and very old Christian group, and that group was the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer 8

I don't think that you've got the right question. It's not important are they, or anyone else, Christians but do they have faith in God and if they do they will follow God's commandments and because of that do they will be a part of God's Church, the only right church.

Every Christian denomination has some flaws and that is because only God knows the truth (for he is truth). Some have more than others and we should aspire perfection and, in my opinion, choose the church "that has it right". I myself was born Catholic but chose to convert to Adventisam. For me it is not important to debate about why someone is wrong but to speak what is right and proclaim it to the whole world.

The world is coming to an end (even children know that the climate is rapidly changing) and all those that believe in God will be saved, not by their good deeds but by their faith. God wishes that everyone is saved but unfortunately some of us have decided already to follow "The Angel of Light" because whose brightness no one can see the pit where he is leading them. So have faith, that is all that matters.

Answer 9

Most non-Catholic Christian denominations accept Catholics as Christians. A very few do not.

A dictionary would say that a Christian is someone professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Catholics would fit this definition.

In the Nicene creed, from 325 A.D., Catholics profess:

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.

For us and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried.

On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We are baptized as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

We truly are spiritually "born again," we just don't usually use those words.

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

Christian-by definition means Follower of Christ. I dont know about the Mormon religion, but as a Catholic, we are followers of Jesus Christ. I follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. How long have you known everything about Catholcs?

Answer 11

How can you say that Catholics aren't christians
If Catholics aren't christians I don't know who is
I'm Catholic our religion started with Jesus Christ,
was followed through by the apostles up until now
The Catholic church has been in Union with Jesus since the last supper.
I can't say much about mormans though