Mormon Church

[Guest]

I have a good friend who was raised in Utah and was mormon. We both live in Vegas now. We've talked about me being catholic and I've tried to explain to her the differences between the two churches. She is nolonger mormon and is turned off by religion all together. She believes in God and Christ and to her that's good enough. She says she doesn't need to go to a building to proove she loves God and to find salvation or what have you. Now I don't disagree with her. I'm glad she nolonger indentifies herself with being mormon. Although she says if she would go back to church it would be the mormon church or mabey a non denominational church. I've explained to her how the christian trinity and mormon trinity differs (although I'm still confused about that a little) and also explained a few other differences to her. So are mormons even considered christians ? I know as catholics we ackowledge protestants as brothers and sisters in Christ. Seperated but brothers and sisters none the less. What about mormons ? She was baptised as a child in the mormon church. So in her mind this baptism is valid. I would venture to say its probally not though although I wouldn't tell her that because it would really upset her. Also I would guess God would ackowledge it if in her mind she thinks its valid. I mean isn't there baptism of desire ? So I don't know those are some questions I had. Godbless.

[LouisvilleFan]

Yes, the fundamental difference between Mormonism and Christianity is what we believe about the Trinity. Namely, Christians believe in it and Mormons don't (along with other pseudo-Christians sects like Jehovah's Witnesses and Oneness Pentecostals). To be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus [i]is[/i] God. This is because there would be no way for sinful humanity to be reconciled with a holy God without the perfect sacrifice of a fellow human who was also God in the same flesh. Without God in human flesh, there is no salvation. Thus, Mormons (who acknowledge Jesus as a prophet and even the Son of God, but don't believe He [i]is[/i] God) aren't really any more Christian than Jews and Muslims, and therefore a Mormon who becomes Christian needs to be baptized.

In your friend's case, she is obviously not ready to consider becoming Catholic. From what little I know of Mormon culture, it isn't easy to leave even in today's society, so she's probably been through a lot (assuming most or all of her family is Mormon). Baptism of Desire primarily applies to situations where a person is preparing to be baptized and dies before they actually receive the sacrament, but obviously it is God's sacrament to give and He can grant the grace of Baptism to anyone without the actual sacrament. As a good friend, keep praying for her and seeking Truth together. We cannot be compelled into Love, but God willing we can be seduced.

Edited January 23, 2011 by LouisvilleFan

[Guest]

So since she isn't baptised and her mormon baptism is invalid can she have a relationship with Christ ? Can she repent of sins in His name ? Do you need to be baptised to do that ? How does God see her ? Is it even possible to know the answer to that question ?

[Guest Iota]

I've never met a Mormon.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Delivery Boy' timestamp='1295768373' post='2203351']
So since she isn't baptised and her mormon baptism is invalid can she have a relationship with Christ ? Can she repent of sins in His name ? Do you need to be baptised to do that ? How does God see her ? Is it even possible to know the answer to that question ?
[/quote]

Yes, your friend can have a relationship with God, because God became man, died for our sins, resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. Since she isn't Mormon and apparently hasn't adopted any Christian belief, it's hard to say where she is with God. Of course, nobody can say for certain where they stand with God -- even the most devout of Catholics. We hope for salvation because of the Truth we have come to know and love, and hope is what makes all the difference in our lives. But to answer your questions, you definitely do not have to be baptized to repent of your sins. For a non-Christian above the age of reason, repentance is asked for in the Rite of Baptism, so it's a fruit of grace that we expect God to work in the heart of a convert before being baptized in order to be more open to the grace of Baptism.

[BG45]

[quote name='Iota' timestamp='1295770819' post='2203367']
I've never met a Mormon.
[/quote]

This isn't meant as a snark or anything, but maybe you have and don't know it. My mother and I toured the grand opening of a new Mormon Ward in town when I was in high school. We went with the intention of putting fake names on any forms they might want to use to send us literature and such. It took all of literally less than twenty seconds for people we had no idea were Mormons to call out to us by name. Since then I've worked under three Mormons during my Masters degree program, but they were very...open, about what they practiced.

[Guest]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' timestamp='1295832452' post='2203620']
Yes, your friend can have a relationship with God, because God became man, died for our sins, resurrected from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. Since she isn't Mormon and apparently hasn't adopted any Christian belief, it's hard to say where she is with God. Of course, nobody can say for certain where they stand with God -- even the most devout of Catholics. We hope for salvation because of the Truth we have come to know and love, and hope is what makes all the difference in our lives. But to answer your questions, you definitely do not have to be baptized to repent of your sins. For a non-Christian above the age of reason, repentance is asked for in the Rite of Baptism, so it's a fruit of grace that we expect God to work in the heart of a convert before being baptized in order to be more open to the grace of Baptism.
[/quote]
Thanks dude !

[phatcatholic]

Articles on Mormonism, from a Catholic perspective:

-- [url=http://www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/mormons.htm]A Catholic Refutation of Mormonism[/url]
-- [url=http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Oct1997/feature1.asp]Catholics Among the Mormons[/url]
-- [url=http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/debate6.htm]Dialogue with a Mormon[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/morm.htm]Difficult Questions for Mormons to Answer[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Distinctive_Beliefs_of_Mormon.asp]Distinctive Beliefs of the Mormon Church[/url]
-- [url=http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0112.html]Drawing the Line for Mormons: A Closer Look at the LDS Church[/url]
-- [url=http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0104.html]From Utah with Love[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Gods_of_the_Mormon_Church.asp]The Gods of the Mormon Church[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9506fea1.asp]Inside a Mormon Temple[/url]
-- [url=http://nevarez.org/alf/catholic/bible_study/thematic/mormon_beliefs.html]Introduction to Mormon Beliefs[/url]
-- [url=http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/num23.htm]Is the Mormon Religion a Christian Religion?[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1999/9909fea4.asp]The Mormon Christ[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Mormon_Stumpers.asp]Mormon Stumpers[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/mormns.html]Mormonism and Its Mythology[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Mormonism_Baptism_for_the_Dead.asp]Mormonism's Baptism for the Dead[/url]
-- [url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10570c.htm]Mormons[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Problems_with_the_Book_of_Mormon.asp]Problems with the Book of Mormon[/url]
-- [url=http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mischedj/ct_mormons.html]Talking to Mormons[/url]
-- [url=http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0305fea4.asp]The Wacky World of Joseph Smith[/url]

Pax Christi,
phatcatholic

[Guest]

Thank you ! Godbless !