Do you boo Mitt Romney?

@windinhishair Hope you're talking about the GOP, because Mormonism is many things but not a cult.

@Graylight Yes, definitely talking about the GOP. I don't want to give the impression that I am anti-Mormon. I am far from it.

@Graylight Mormons are pretty off the beaten path, but I literally hug trees, so who's to say what religions are cults?

@LordShadowfire First, never underestimate the therapeutic benefits of hugging anything in nature, I say.

Mormons are Christians, little different than most other Christian denominations. Where people get confused is combining LDS and the FLDS, which is an extremist off-shoot and in no way affiliated with the actual Mormon Church anymore. Those are the polygamists and oppressors.

@Graylight That's like the difference between Islam and Al Qaeda.

@Graylight What I do know about Mormons that they don't tell anybody is that they also believe in a "Heavenly Mother" to go along with Heavenly Father.

@Graylight This is not a religious discussion and even as I followed the original thread the original respondant was calling the GOP a cult and not Mormons ( thats not my issue)
My issue is that Mormons are not Christian. They proclaim themselves to be Christian especially lately because they want political, societal acceptance into the mainstream but they are not actually Christian.
They believe some elements of Christianity but so does Islam, Ba'hai and a few others.
Taking a deeper look at their doctrine Mormons actually believe many things about the concept of God which is anti biblical.
My 2 cents.

@REMsleep No, this is a thread between users that you neither started nor should think you can control.

But I can tell you from direct experience you are misinformed about LDS.

@Graylight I don't want to control the conversation I'm trying to be as unobtrusive as possible but this is a public platform to share thoughts.

I'm not Mormon but I have known Mormons and done my research and based on the definitions as I understand them this is my conclusion also shared by many others.
I have respect for everyone.
Agree to disagree. Misinformation is not my issue.
I also did not state that it was a cult.

I would suggest for research is somewhat lacking in the religion itself. But I'm not Mormon and so can't defend the faith. I grew up in the heart of Mormom territory though, and the whole 'Jesus came to America' thing aside, it's as Christian based as any other Christian faith I've run across.

@Graylight If you want to understand why I believe that Mormons aren't Christian I can give you my reasons but if you aren't interested thats cool.
I have nothing against Mormons and you do not have to be Christian to be good or religious.

@REMsleep Are you aware of the whole Kolob story?

@LordShadowfire I don't study their doctrines extensively but I am aware that they have teachings regarding extra planets and such.....

So I just took a look at it and leading Mormon apologists say that "Kolob is only meantioned once as an example and has no bearing or relevance in Mormon theology."

In my opinion they always try to downplay what they believe to mainstream public media outlets.
I know that they do infact believe that God was once a mortal that worshipped a higher God but that he elevated to God status later.

To be fair since I am a Christian there are many things that I believe that others cannot or won't accept as well.

@REMsleep But Kolob is no different a belief that any unsubstantiated belief. Catholics believe some people could be taken directly to heaven in body, mind and spirit.

LDS do believe God was once mortal, but his identity is that of Elohim, a Biblical figure, so not all that science-fictiony. Christians also believe God was once flesh through the manifestation of Jesus on earth. He is considered divinely spirit and divinely human.

And you say it well. There are tenets to probably any faith that, when seen isolated of half-known by an outsider, seem absurd. Yes, the Mormons wear temple garments. Catholics wear scapulae, meant to shave time off your sentence in purgatory just by virtue of not removing them. But all Christian faiths need have only one thing in common: the acceptance of Jesus Christ as God's only begotten Son from whom everlasting life was granted in exchange for a heavenly sacrifice. Everything else is just sprinkles.