MORMONS ARE CHRISTIANS?

Mormons are Christians?

Joel Osteen Declares Romney's Jesus is Our Jesus

By Eric Barger

www.ericbarger.com

On December 23, 2007, reporter Chris Wallace interviewed Pastor Joel Osteen on the Fox Television Network's "Fox News Sunday" program. Osteen, whose own television program is broadcast worldwide each week and who pastors what is touted as the largest church in the United States (Lakewood Church of Houston, Texas), was quizzed on a number of issues during the interview.

Chris Wallace introduced Joel Osteen as a teacher of "Personal growth and positive thinking" – buzzwords that make biblical thinkers wary but exploring that must wait for another time. Before long, the discussion turned to presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee and the controversy concerning Romney's Mormon beliefs. It was then that the supposedly Evangelical pastor of America's largest congregation declared that Mormons are Christians and that Mitt Romney is himself a "Christian." Here is the transcript. (1)

Wallace: "Is a Mormon a true Christian?"

Osteen: "Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior and that's what I believe. So, you know I'm not the one to judge the little details of it. So, I believe they are. And so I, you know, Mitt Romney seems like a man of character and integrity to me and, ah, I don't think anything would stop me from voting for him if that's what I felt like."

Wallace: "So, so for instance when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the founder of the church and the golden tablets in upstate New York and ah, God assumes the shape of a man; do you not get hung up in those theological issues?"

Osteen: "I probably don't get hung up in 'em because I haven't really studied 'em or thought about 'em. And ah, you know, I just try to let God be the judge of that. I mean, I don't know, I certainly can't say that I agree with everything I've heard about it. But, from what I've heard from Mitt when he says that Christ is his savior to me that's a common bond."

As the exchange went on, I was struck by the fact that Chris Wallace appeared to be far more knowledgeable about Mormonism than did the pastor of America's largest church. How sad. But the question still remains: is Mormonism compatible with Christianity? Just because Mitt Romney, Joel Osteen or anyone else claims that "Jesus Christ is their lord and savior" does not automatically mean that they are talking about the authentic biblical Jesus.

Let's allow the words of the current Mormon President, Gordon B. Hinckley, to educate us as to whether the Mormon Jesus (and Mormonism) and the biblical Jesus (and Christianity) are one in the same. After all, a person can sincerely believe in and place their complete trust and confidence in a "Jesus" and then perish for all eternity if the Jesus being worshipped is but a counterfeit. (See II Corinthians 11:3-4.) What if the Mormon Jesus isn't the biblical one?

President Hinckley, like all Mormon Presidents before him, is revered by the LDS people as the mouthpiece of God and referred to as "prophet, seer and revelator" for the Church. When Hinckley addressed a gathering of 6,600 young Mormon missionaries assembled in Paris in 1998, he was speaking in this capacity.

In their account of the event, the Mormon-owned news agency, The Deseret News, reported, "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.' (Hinckley said) '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 Fulness (sic) of Times...In this dispensation, the Lord has declared that this Church (Mormon) is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth." (2) (Emphasis added)

According to their own prophet, the Mormon Jesus is not the traditional Jesus and the Mormon Church is the only "true and living Church" on the planet today!

Also, to clear up the current public controversy between candidates Romney and Huckabee, Mormon authority and First Council of The Seventy member, Milton R. Hunter, made clear that in Mormonism Lucifer and Jesus are indeed "brothers."

"He was called Lucifer, son of the morning. Haughty, ambitious, and covetous of power and glory, this spirit-brother of Jesus desperately tried to become the Savior of mankind."

(Hunter, The Gospel Through the Ages, p.15)

The Bible teaches that Jesus is divine and not angelic and that Lucifer (Satan) is angelic and not divine. Instead, Mormonism proclaims that "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man …" and "… You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you …" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 345, 348). Mormonism teaches that both Jesus and Lucifer became "gods," just as the central LDS teaching proclaims: "As Man is God once was and as God is Man may become." Can it be any clearer? The "Jesus" taught in Mormonism is not the Christian Jesus. Period.

Taking biblical stands on issues such as Mormonism seems to be at a premium today. Few leaders seem to have the courage to present dogmatic positions when quarried on the realities of false teachers and false teaching. Some misguided Christian leaders have even gone so far as to apologize to Mormons for the likes of apologetically minded Christians like me who have rightly identified Mormonism as a false and worthless religion. Joel Osteen's statements on Fox New Sunday are a prime example of a Christian leader trying to straddle a dangerous fence. By not wanting to take a position and thus separate himself (and Christianity in general) from the most notable organized cult in America today, Osteen is actually agreeing with a non-Christian religion whose truly aberrant, cultic theology has trapped millions and blinded them from the identity of the real Jesus.

Out of the fear of men or from the fear of lost income, so many evade the questions or just give in to the pressure to accept anyone who can spell Jesus as some sort of "Christian." I admit that it's not fun when you are branded as a "radical" or "Fundamentalist" in a negative sense or being accused of spouting "hate speech" because you are defending the faith. Anyone who stands up for biblical truth and sound doctrine is going to experience all of that eventually. But whether it be on national television or one-on-one over coffee, have we forgotten that God is listening to every slippery parsed word we dare utter when trying to please everyone? The integrity of our leaders must be questioned when they fail to enunciate biblical truths in lieu of maintaining popularity. However, I am not completely without grace here. Certainly, nobody is perfect, including yours truly. We all have flaws and imperfections and I am acutely aware that God is continually convicting and working on me. However, taking biblical stands on unpopular issues is not one of my weak suites. I just learned a long time ago that those who try to walk in the middle of the road usually are hit by cars coming from both directions!

In closing, allow this dynamic quote from A.W. Tozer's "The Old Cross and the New" to draw the line between true courage and lukewarm compromise. The question is which side will you stand on?

"We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world.

We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum."

(1) Click here to watch entire Joel Osteen interview on Fox News Sunday

(2) Note on Hinckley quote: I personally found the article this quote came from in the LDS Church News Archives, Saturday, June 20, 1998. Until mid 2007, this article could be viewed at http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_church?dn98&9806210091 but it has since been removed. Considering that The Deseret News has much older information in their archives, I can only assume that someone noticed that Hinckley's statements were out of step with the Church's current campaign to promote themselves as somehow orthodox and "Christian."

Copyright 2007, Eric Barger

By Eric Barger Click here for bio and archived articles

Mormons are getting what they want... Posted On: 05/28/08 02:20:19 PM Age 29, MD It wasn't that many years ago that Mormons did not want to be associated with mainstream Christianity in any way at all. That's not surprising, considering that Joseph Smith claimed to have went into the woods to pray about which denomination he should join and was answered: "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; and those professors were all corrupt." (Pearl of Great Price) Now, though, they want to be seen as "Christians", no different than any other denomination. Joel Osteen is helping to make that a reality. ...makes you wonder who it was that Joseph Smith was praying to in the first place, doesn't it...otherwise why the change now? The Book of Mormon is a false account... Posted On: 05/28/08 02:11:31 PM Age 29, MD The only parts of the Book of Mormon that contain any truth are those that are directly plagarized from the Holy Bible itself. As for Lehi and his family and all of those thousands of people who supposedly lived and died on the American continents, there is 1000000000000% no evidence that they ever existed. Mormonism Posted On: 01/11/08 04:00:20 PM Age 33, OK I'm not a mormon never have been, but I've read the book it's about One of the a man from 12 tribes of Israel from Josephs decandent either Ephraim or Mannasah a man named Lehi heard from God before the Babylonian defeat to leave Israel with his family to land Lord would lead him they take record of their ancestry and scripture,and something like the ummim and thurmin excuse my spelling. He leads them to Americas. He has 4 sons one follows God and two of the others are obstinant and lack faith. The book speaks about their decendants how they fall away from God and God uses some individuals and leads them back. Back and Forth just like Israel. It talks of an angel speaking with Joseph Smith showing him where these plates were that records this about Lehi and descandants, some of the plates interpreted by Jospeh Smith holy spirit were people in South America where the people came over after tower of Babel that built pyramids idols stuff there. It talks about Jesus's appearance to the people after ressurection telling them they're a part of Israel and follow Gods ways and ten commandments,golden rule etc. What is interesting is the prophecy later in book about Revolutionary war, white man coming over America bringing gospel back after Indians fell away and a lot died,American Indians returning to faith and the Babylonian apostate whore church which is simular to the book of Revalation that sure makes the Catholics and Leftist Liberal churches happy. No where does this book say it's more truthful then the bible, it backs it up as history and a witness of Jesus to the peoples. It quotes the first shall be last and the last first. Jews Gentiles it quotes a lot of Isaiah in the beginning warnings to Israel.It speaks of visions God gave Lehi and his son of Falling away tree of life and future salvation in Jesus. It speaks against plural marriage. Joseph Smith was not giving instruction to start a new church in it but warnings about pride,money Satan temptations. Joseph Smith Jr. later mixed in a lot of Masonic beliefs into the church temples jewelry etc wrote new books and rules and stuff,he befriended this man from another church like a partner, he built up communities and businesses. But where has the witness to the American Indians they're Jewish ancestry gone?? They've closed off like a cult in pride. Mormon church worships Joseph Smith but he supposedly fell away end of his life with Masonic apostatcy,mutiple wives including sisters and young girls and he's just a man not God. My neighbor says the Mormon church sings songs about Jospeh Smith as well as Jesus? They treat people like the plague if you leave their church. They've changed the book in revisions they don't let very many see the originals. Like Religion and not salvation from the Lord they've left the faith that was written in the book of Mormon for legalism and idols in mans thinking,idols in Masonry spiritualism and the abomination of plural marriage. As for Romney as a candidate, I'm not too sure of him, his flip flopping on conservative questions his answer about God on past CNN debate too much like guarding his answers to be politically correct we know what that got us with Bush, I'm not impressed with any of them basically. BOOK OF MORMON NOT FROM GOD Posted On: 01/04/08 12:46:20 PM Age 64, OH The Mormons claim the book of Mormon is a more accurate "word from God" than the Bible. That claim in itself is against what God plainly says in the Bible. But the Mormons published about 5000 copies of their book of Mormon in 1830 and since then they have made ALMOST 4000 CHANGES to the book of Mormon. If it was so accurate why do they have to continually correct it. Copies of the Bible called the dead sea scrolls were found and they are word for word with our present old testament. The Bible has not changed in its 3500 years. Any book that needs to change is not from God Almighty for he never changes. Lou Is it any surprise? Posted On: 01/04/08 11:58:26 AM Age 30, TN Joel can't identify sin for what it is. Why should we be surprised when he can't identify a cult? If people just make 'mistakes' and sin isn't a reality, then why label anyone a cult? It's just a difference in opinion. Mormon Debate Posted On: 01/04/08 11:15:53 AM Age 50, OH As I looked at the various articles and opinions expressed by the authors, I've realized that God does, indeed, call us to stand firm in our convictions, unwavering in the truth of His Word. He also asks us to love as He loves. This is the balance that I found difficult until the Lord revealed that loving someone does not mean agreeing with them. How the truth is expressed in confronting them is key. Is it done in a spirit of humility, looking to ourselves lest we stumble, or is it done in arrogance to "prove ourselves right"? It is good to remember that our battle is not against the person, but against principalities and powers in the heavenly places. Satan does love to separate God's people by stirring up animosity, righteous indignation and the like. Let's not be deceived, but be aware of his scemes and do battle accordingly. Joel Olsteen and Mormons Posted On: 01/03/08 07:07:16 PM Age 53, VA Well, I have had issues with this man for some time, but this takes the cake! I can only pray for those he has led astray and hope the truth can be proclaimed and understood by all who accept him. Mormons are not Christians. They are lost and need the Savior of the world - the one and ONLY Jesus Christ of the Bible. Wake up and Read the Book of Mormon Posted On: 01/03/08 01:36:10 PM Age 58, CA Why are so many Christians confused about this issue? All it takes is educating yourself by reading a few books on Mormonism. We need to start waking people up about this cult. You either believe the Word of God or you don't. There is no inbetween, no middle ground, no debate and no straddling the fence. Christians must stand on the solid rock and not on sand.