Thanks to less-than-wholesome reality television, there has been an increase in national conversations about Mormonism. But what are the differences between Mormons and Christians?
There are several cults and false religions that claim to be a sect of Christianity. One of the most prominent of these is Mormonism.
In what has been a strange phenomenon in this country, Americans have been extremely interested in several Mormon-centered reality shows. Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, the latest (now canceled) season of The Bachelorette, and a couple of other debaucherous reality TV shows have put the "Latter Day Saints" in prominent places in pop culture.
As a result, Mormons (and Mormonism) have been a larger part of the national discourse over the past few years.
It is worth noting that many within the LDS leadership have attempted to distance themselves and the Mormon religion from Taylor Frankie Paul—who was slated to star on The Bachelorette before an old domestic violence video resurfaced—and these other reality TV "stars." Even so, these individuals' claims to be Mormon and Mormonism's claim to be Christian make it necessary for Christians to understand that the two worldviews represent completely different religions.
Christianity and Mormonism simply are not compatible. This article will take a look at Mormonism and where it falls short of God's standard and falls short of reality.
What Is Mormonism?
First, and not insignificantly, Mormonism was founded in the 1820s and 1830s by Joseph Smith. He began in western New York and then spread south into Pennsylvania and West, most prominently, into Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri.
Smith claimed that God the Father and God the Son had given him a divine vision, explaining that all Protestantism was wrong. According to Smith, God the Father and God the Son visited him and then sent an angel to give him golden tablets with His "true Word" inscribed upon them. He also said the angel gave him seer stones, ones that he would look through, claiming an English translation would appear before him for the mysterious text on the golden tablets. The supposed translation primarily became what is now known as the Book of Mormon. Smith claimed that God wrote the Book of Mormon over a period of more than 1000 years but saved it specifically for him.
Though it has had many names, Smith then founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/Mormon Church, using the Book of Mormon and two of his other writings (the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrines and Covenants) as his cult's new scriptures. He also used the King James version of the Bible and claimed each of the four writings was equally inspired by God, despite their incompatibility.
As Smith moved from place to place, legal trouble followed him. He disrupted the peace at each stop, engaged in polygamy, warred with locals, and even committed treason. Smith and his older brother Hyrum, one of his first lieutenants in early Mormon Church leadership, were eventually arrested. While in jail in Illinois, the brothers were killed by a mob. Another church leader, Brigham Young, led the majority of Smith's followers out west to Utah, where he became the second "president" of the false religion.
Through the combined teachings of Smith and Young and the multiple Mormon scriptures, the LDS Church believes in a long list of doctrines that are simply un-Christian.
Where Mormonism Falls Short
Mormons claim to be Christians. However, this is far from the truth, and their religious texts contradict the Word of God in significant ways. (Links to Mormon documents will be available in this section.) This will not be an exhaustive list but will cover some of the largest theological disagreements.
Mormons believe in multiple "scriptures" and that God will continue to allow new revelation and new truth.
Mormons have multiple "holy scriptures." They claim that they adhere to the King James Version of the Bible (they don't), but they also say that the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants are equally true and important. However, if pressed, many LDS folks say that the Book of Mormon is the "keystone of our religion" (per the official documents for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Part of the reason Mormons accept multiple holy texts is that they believe that God will continue to make new revelations available to mankind.
God Himself spoke out against this possibility in the Bible. In Deuteronomy 4:2, He told Moses, "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you."
The Apostle John echoes this point in Revelation 22:18-19, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book."
In many passages of Scripture, the biblical authors warn against false prophets and teachers (Matthew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1, etc.). Joseph Smith and those who teach Mormonism certainly apply.
Mormons' unwillingness to adhere to the Word of God creates the rest of their poor theology.
Mormons believe that humans can become deities, that the Christian God was one example of this happening, and that Jesus was the son of a Holy Father and Holy Mother and, likewise, became a deity.
The most fundamental theological difference between Mormons and Christians is that Mormons believe that human beings will become "like God" after death through a process called "deification."
LDS followers argue that, because mankind has a divine origin (God), the majority of mankind must have a divine eternity. Distorting the biblical principle of heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20), Mormons say that almost all people will reach Heaven because it is where their eternal citizenship lies (more on that later). Because of this, they teach that mankind was made to become gods.
In fact, until very recently, they erroneously claimed that God the Father and God the Son were once mortal men who eventually ascended to their divine thrones. They now say that the ideas taught within this doctrine are inconclusive.
Mormons believe that the most faithful followers of the Book of Mormon can receive the same deification. In a collection of works by Brigham Young and other post-Joseph Smith Mormon leaders called the Journal of Discourses, it is taught explicitly: "Here then is eternal life – to know the only wise and true God; 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."
That is, quite obviously, ridiculous.
The First Commandment (Exodus 20:2-3) shows the Lord speaking to His people plainly, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me."
If that wasn't clear enough, Isaiah 44:6 shows the prophet quoting the Lord: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first, and I am the last; besides me there is no god.'"
Mormons believe in three levels of Heaven and that these tiers of salvation are earned.
Within their misguided views on virtually universal salvation, Mormons believe in a three-tiered Heaven, the final resting places for most individuals.
According to Latter-day Saints, most people will be judged based on "desires and actions," immediately upon entrance into Heaven. They teach that, dependent upon one's faithfulness to Mormon teachings and earthly morality, most individuals will be placed in either the celestial kingdom, the terrestrial kingdom, or the telestial kingdom.
In Mormon theology, the most wicked of men are called "sons of perdition" and will face an eternity in outer darkness. They say this applies only to those who have a perfect knowledge of God but also deny God, live wickedly, and serve Satan.
The celestial kingdom is the top tier of the Latter-day Saints' version of Heaven, where the most faithful will live for all eternity. Children who died under the age of eight automatically enter the celestial kingdom, too. The celestial kingdom is where the fullness of God the Father and God the Son dwell. Those who enter the celestial kingdom and who fulfill certain earthly sacraments before death are eligible to become deities.
In a less-glorified sense, honorable Mormons who fail in their fidelity to the LDS Church will earn a spot in the terrestrial kingdom. The Book of Mormon teaches that God the Son fully dwells here, too, but that the Father's full presence will be kept from this realm.
The telestial kingdom is the lowest tier of Mormon heaven, where deniers of Mormon theology and immoral people will dwell eternally. However, before their admittance, they must experience a temporary period in spirit prison, sometimes called Hell.
LDS theology on Heaven and salvation isn't remotely compatible with Christianity.
The Bible explains Heaven as the eternal dwelling place of God, His angels, and the people who have been born again (John 3:3), thanks to a faithful acceptance of Christ's work on the cross and His subsequent resurrection (Romans 6:1-11).
Whereas the Mormon interpretation of Heaven is that it is the eternal resting place for most people, the Bible teaches that the path to eternity in God's presence is somewhat small. In Luke 13:22-30, Jesus teaches about the "narrow door." Verses 24 and 25 say, "And someone said to him, 'Lord, will those who are saved be few?' And He said to them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.'"
In LDS tradition, even some non-believers will be saved. This goes against Jesus' teachings in arguably the most famous verse in all of Scripture. In John 3:16, He tells Nicodemus that only those who truly believe will inherit eternal life: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
Mormons believe that the Early Church (immediately after the New Testament) experienced total apostasy before Mormonism corrected the issues.
According to Latter-day Saints, the Early Church fell away from Christ, leading to a "Great Apostasy" that lasted until the time of Joseph Smith. They say that, following Jesus' death and the deaths of His disciples, the rest of the world led God's people astray for nearly 1800 years.
In this so-called apostasy, the Lord removed all priesthood and Church leadership from the world before re-bestowing it (conveniently) upon Smith. Mormons believe this same priesthood led to a "restored, not reformed" Christianity. This was an intentional separation from post-Reformation Protestantism.
Aside from the fact that there have been believers' testimonies through the generations, God made it clear in His Word that there will never be a time when the world will be void of His people. In Isaiah, God rebukes the prophet Isaiah for thinking he was the last believer on Earth, saying in Isaiah 10 that there will always be a remnant of His people remaining, until the end of days.
The Apostle Paul expounds on this idea of a remnant in Romans 11. Including both Jewish believers (verses 1-10) and Gentile believers (verses 11-24), he says that God's elect will include individuals of all kinds of people over all time.
Mormons believe in polytheism.
In a very explicit way, Mormons believe in polytheism, otherwise known as the belief in and worship of multiple deities.
Not only do Latter-day Saints butcher the proper understanding of the Trinity, thus creating three separate deities, but they also believe in other gods. Specifically, their type of polytheism is called henotheism, because they worship one god at a time, while acknowledging the existence and importance of other gods.
The final paragraphs of this section repeat what was written above in the subsection titled: "Mormons believe that humans can become deities, that the Christian God was one example of this happening, and that Jesus was the son of a Holy Father and Holy Mother and, likewise, became a deity."
The First Commandment (Exodus 20:2-3) shows the Lord speaking to His people plainly, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me."
If that wasn't clear enough, Isaiah 44:6 shows the prophet quoting the Lord: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first, and I am the last; besides me there is no god.'"
Mormons believe in post-death salvation, offered to the dead in perdition via "proxy baptism."
Within the near-universal salvation taught in Mormonism, LDS theology teaches that even the small number of dead in perdition will have the opportunity to earn their way to Heaven.
Perhaps more accurately, they teach that these lost individuals can have someone else earn a salvation opportunity for them.
Mormons contend for "proxy baptism," a wicked ordinance in which an individual undergoes a baptism via immersion (sometimes via force and/or coercion) that provides a dead person with the chance to accept or reject the false Mormon "gospel."
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that proxy baptism is heresy.
Ephesians 4:4-6 shows that there is just "one baptism," which contrasts with Mormonism's claim of multiple types.
Romans 6:4 says that baptized believers will then "walk in newness of life," something that the dead could never do.
Likewise, the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 includes the order of events surrounding baptism being baptism and then teaching observance of God's Law. Again, the dead cannot be taught anything and cannot uphold God's Law.
Final Verdict
Mormons claim to be Christians, but they are not. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not of Christ at all, and it is not populated by saints. Instead, Mormonism is a dangerous cult masquerading as a sect of Christianity to lead others astray and, subsequently, further away from God.
Mormons do not believe in the one God of the Bible, they do not have a proper knowledge of who Christ is or what He has done, and they do not understand salvation (both mankind's need for salvation and what salvation truly is) in any way.
Latter-day Saints do not believe in the authority of Scripture and outright deny that the Bible is the only Word of God. As such, LDS theology is wildly incorrect on many key issues, including the differing natures of mortal man and the immortal God, the realities of Heaven and Hell, and baptism.
Christians must reject Mormonism altogether.
