As soon as I began my study of the LDS –a study that would span several months and several thousand pages of reading – I saw evidence of the profound bias Mormons have complained about for decades. My wife joked that she would divorce me if I converted to Mormonism. A Methodist preacher joked (at least I hope he was joking) that he would kill me if I converted to Mormonism - urging me to convert to any religion other than the LDS church. Some Catholic and Protestant students who saw me holding a copy of The Book of Mormon also questioned why I would bother reading a work they considered heretical.
Throughout my study, I consistently heard two harsh accusations levied against Mormons – first, that the LDS Church is a cult, and, second, that the Mormons are not Christians. I reject both of those accusations.
The idea that the LDS church is a cult stems largely from a wildly biased media that focuses on breakaway congregations still practicing polygamy – a practice long rejected by the leadership of the LDS church. I suspect that the feminist influence within the mainstream media intentionally distorts this aspect of Mormonism as a punishment for the lack of an organized feminist movement in the church. (Author’s note: this is not to suggest a conspiracy but, rather, a collective result of individual bigotry).
The idea that Mormons are not Christians is also untenable. No one reading Romans 10:9 and John 14:6 can deny that Mormons are Christians who are saved by faith and destined for heaven. Of course, raising the issue of heaven might not be the best way to bridge the gap between Mormon and non-Mormon Christians. In fact, it leads inevitably to a discussion of the controversial life and revelations of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Joseph Smith will be the sole focus of my next column on Mormonism.