The Real Threat of Mormonism

Over the years I have encountered many misperceptions that Mormons have about Christians and Christianity. One of note is found in a little book published in 1998 by LDS author Scott Marshall. In an effort to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, Mr. Marshall wrote,

“THE TRINITY CREATION. They believe in the trinity creation. The trinity was voted on in the Council of Nicene hundreds of years after Christ’s death. A bunch of church leaders and govern­ment officials got together and voted on ‘who God was?’, and it wasn’t even a unanimous vote. There were about four different versions of God that they voted on. The version that is used by Catholics and Protestants today only won by about a 40 percent margin. Their view of God, as you may know, is that He is like a formless mass of spirit that fills the whole universe and when He comes to earth, part of it breaks off and forms itself into Jesus.” (Scott Marshall, Tracting and Member Missionary Work, 73)

Both historically and doctrinally, this teaching on the Trinity and its “creation” is atrocious. Yet at least one Mormon (the author) believes it.

Another idea – and one that is long-lived and widely embraced among Mormons – is that Christians “fight” against the LDS Church out of a fear of “member poaching” that results in lower salaries for individual Christian pastors. This misperception is being promoted in a brand new book by LDS author Christopher C. Sheldon, Donning the Armor of God: The Saint’s Guide to Defending the Faith. Mr. Sheldon encourages members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to read his book to find facts and information that will prepare them for encounters with critics of the LDS Church.

In Chapter 2 (“Anti-Mormon Thinking and Tactics”) Mr. Sheldon explains why critics “would go through all the trouble” of arguing against Mormonism. After stating that Christians believe Mormonism is “a twisting of Christianity,” Mr. Sheldon writes,

“Another reason as to why Christians fight against the Church is a two-part problem. First, they are upset with the fact that we believe ours to be the one and only true church of Christ and that all other Christian teachings are wrong. In this respect it is understandable why Christians are upset with the Church. This statement and belief is threatening to the Christian community. It brings into question and threatens the credibility of Christianity. This leads us to the second problem for Christian denominational leaderships, because preaching is their job and sole source of income. Aside from tithing[,] ministers, pastors and preachers are paid so much money per seat filled in their congregations… Thus, every member lost is money lost.” (8-9)

Continue reading at Mormonism Research Ministry

The threat from Mormonism is summed up in this paragraph:

Mormonism threatens the eternal hope of millions of people. It proclaims a false god. It proclaims a false gospel. It proclaims an unattainable eternal future, making spiritual promises that it cannot fulfill. Those who place their faith and hope in Mormonism will never see Heaven because they have rejected God’s merciful and gracious offer of redemption in Christ alone. Often unaware, they have turned from the narrow gate that leads to eternal life, choosing instead the wide gate that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).