A four-letter word has once again entered the GOP presidential race: CULT.
Just when the debate was focusing on issues such as the economy, unemployment and taxes, the race took an unfortunate, yet predictable detour, when a prominent evangelical pastor reiterated his claim that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) is a non-Christian cult.
In an attempt to undermine GOP front runner Mitt Romney, who is a member of the LDS Church, mega-church pastor Rick Jeffrees reiterated previous attacks on Mormons at a Values Voter Summit in Washington DC last Friday. "That is a mainstream view, that Mormonism is a cult. Every true, born again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian.” Jeffrees has endorsed the candidacy of Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Methodist who attends an evangelical mega-church in Austin.
Later, when explaining his controversial position, Jeffrees told MSNBC on Monday that the LDS Church is a "theological" cult and not a "sociological" cult like the one responsible for the Jonestown massacre (where more than 900 adherents committed mass suicide by drinking kool aid laced with cyanide.)
Despite Jeffrees feeble attempt to mitigate his fiery rhetoric, the image of a fanatical religious group was exactly what he was trying to invoke when he used the word "cult" to describe the LDS faith, which now has more than 14 million members world wide. According to the Religious Tolerance website, "...if you are an author, public speaker or teleminister who wants to direct public fear and hatred against a new religious group, then "cult" is an ideal word to use. But the use of the term may be irresponsible and immoral, depending upon your system of values."
The website further argues that the term "cult" is intentionally used for manipulative purposes - to capitalize on the fear and disdain of dangerous faith groups such as Heaven's Gate or the Branch Davidians and hopefully transfer those negative feelings to such denominations as the LDS Church. http://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm
As for the redundant debate about whether Mormons are Christians, it seems that a small band of evangelical leaders dominate the narrative defining Christianity. A simple definition of Christianity is one who is a disciple of Christ. Yet some Protestant Christian denominations have a checklist of cardinal Christian doctrines which in their opinion define who is Christian and who is not.
While followers of the LDS Church believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world who atoned for our sins, Mormons believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are three distinct personages, united in one purpose, which deviates from the mainstream idea that the Holy Trinity is one being.
An apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, affirmed that Mormons are Christian and discussed the controversy in a bi-annual conference address in October 2007. He referred to Harper's Bible Dictionary when stating that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”
Elder Holland said: "So any criticism that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not hold the contemporary Christian view of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is not a comment about our commitment to Christ but rather a recognition (accurate, I might add) that our view of the Godhead breaks with post–New Testament Christian history and returns to the doctrine taught by Jesus Himself." (To read Elder Holland's entire remarks go to: http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-he-hath-sent?lang=eng&query=true+(name%3a"Jeffrey+R.+Holland")
Whether Mitt Romney and his fellow Mormons are truly Christians is ultimately only for Christ to decide. As for Reverend Jeffrees, his attacks on the LDS faith is a transparent attempt to bolster Rick Perry's flagging presidential campaign by demonizing Mitt Romney's faith.
The GOP candidates need to focus on another four-letter word to win the presidential election: JOBS.
Just when the debate was focusing on issues such as the economy, unemployment and taxes, the race took an unfortunate, yet predictable detour, when a prominent evangelical pastor reiterated his claim that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) is a non-Christian cult.
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| Salt Lake LDS Temple |
In an attempt to undermine GOP front runner Mitt Romney, who is a member of the LDS Church, mega-church pastor Rick Jeffrees reiterated previous attacks on Mormons at a Values Voter Summit in Washington DC last Friday. "That is a mainstream view, that Mormonism is a cult. Every true, born again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian.” Jeffrees has endorsed the candidacy of Texas Governor Rick Perry, a Methodist who attends an evangelical mega-church in Austin.
Later, when explaining his controversial position, Jeffrees told MSNBC on Monday that the LDS Church is a "theological" cult and not a "sociological" cult like the one responsible for the Jonestown massacre (where more than 900 adherents committed mass suicide by drinking kool aid laced with cyanide.)
Despite Jeffrees feeble attempt to mitigate his fiery rhetoric, the image of a fanatical religious group was exactly what he was trying to invoke when he used the word "cult" to describe the LDS faith, which now has more than 14 million members world wide. According to the Religious Tolerance website, "...if you are an author, public speaker or teleminister who wants to direct public fear and hatred against a new religious group, then "cult" is an ideal word to use. But the use of the term may be irresponsible and immoral, depending upon your system of values."
The website further argues that the term "cult" is intentionally used for manipulative purposes - to capitalize on the fear and disdain of dangerous faith groups such as Heaven's Gate or the Branch Davidians and hopefully transfer those negative feelings to such denominations as the LDS Church. http://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm
As for the redundant debate about whether Mormons are Christians, it seems that a small band of evangelical leaders dominate the narrative defining Christianity. A simple definition of Christianity is one who is a disciple of Christ. Yet some Protestant Christian denominations have a checklist of cardinal Christian doctrines which in their opinion define who is Christian and who is not.
While followers of the LDS Church believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world who atoned for our sins, Mormons believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are three distinct personages, united in one purpose, which deviates from the mainstream idea that the Holy Trinity is one being.
An apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, affirmed that Mormons are Christian and discussed the controversy in a bi-annual conference address in October 2007. He referred to Harper's Bible Dictionary when stating that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”
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| Elder Jeffrey R. Holland |
Elder Holland said: "So any criticism that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not hold the contemporary Christian view of God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost is not a comment about our commitment to Christ but rather a recognition (accurate, I might add) that our view of the Godhead breaks with post–New Testament Christian history and returns to the doctrine taught by Jesus Himself." (To read Elder Holland's entire remarks go to: http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/the-only-true-god-and-jesus-christ-whom-he-hath-sent?lang=eng&query=true+(name%3a"Jeffrey+R.+Holland")
Whether Mitt Romney and his fellow Mormons are truly Christians is ultimately only for Christ to decide. As for Reverend Jeffrees, his attacks on the LDS faith is a transparent attempt to bolster Rick Perry's flagging presidential campaign by demonizing Mitt Romney's faith.
The GOP candidates need to focus on another four-letter word to win the presidential election: JOBS.
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