Falsely claiming to restore authentic Christianity may be the most authentically Christian aspect of Mormonism.
It might be more fitting to say that claiming to restore authentic Christianity, rightly or wrongly, may be the most authentically Christian aspect of Mormonism.
The authentic Christianity was itself an offshoot of Judaism that only came about and developed after Jesus Christ was dead. The Church and Smith claimed to be restoring was what Jesus preached - which would be Judaism.
However, what specific aspects of the church/Christianity-Judaism that Jesus was part of, and which were therefore lost or corrupted beyond recognition after his crucifixion, did Smith restore?
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
I like the model of a friend of mine who is a practicing Jew and a professor of Religious Studies. He believes that Christians are Jews. On that basis, I believe that Mormons should be considered Christians, and that they are arguably closer to the Jews in certain respects than most Christians are.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
I like the model of a friend of mine who is a practicing Jew and a professor of Religious Studies. He believes that Christians are Jews. On that basis, I believe that Mormons should be considered Christians, and that they are arguably closer to the Jews in certain respects than most Christians are.
Not that such a comparison is not possible but I find myself wondering what you are thinking. I started this comment lacking a example. Perhaps rejecting full tulip predestination is something shared.
Not that such a comparison is not possible but I find myself wondering what you are thinking. I started this comment lacking a example. Perhaps rejecting full tulip predestination is something shared.
Great question, huckelberry. I suppose I was thinking about the Mormon belief in the literal gathering of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the identification of Mormons with the tribes through their patriarchal blessings, the blurring of the distinction between Old Testament and New Testament chronology, teachings, and beliefs in the Book of Mormon. A more esoteric example may be the little-discussed figure of the messiah ben Joseph, who figures into some strains of Jewish eschatology and in Mormon "folk" belief (probably more then case that Joseph Smith got this from the Adam Clark commentary).
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
that claiming to restore authentic Christianity, rightly or wrongly, may be the most authentically Christian aspect of Mormonism
In my view, MG2.0, your argument regarding Mormonism's attempt to restore Christianity is quite similar to the perspective Muslims hold towards Christianity. Islam asserts that the original message of Jesus was pure and divinely inspired, however, it has been altered over time by human interpretations, theological innovations. For nearly two centuries, Mormon leaders have characterized Christianity in a manner similar to that of Muslims. As a corrupt interpretation of authentic Christianity!
Do you think the restored gospel aims to bring creedle Christianity back to its original state? If that’s the case, why do Mormons seem so focused on being perceived as part of an apostate version of Christianity?
Rather than a replacement for creedal Christianity the church would consider itself to be a restoration of lost truths. The church exists in the world as it is. Rather than making enemies (which seems to happen by default anyway) LDS leaders emphasize common ground in order to maintain/foster goodwill and reduce the marginalization that naturally exists when a church comes along saying that it is the true and living church of Jesus Christ. That claim, in and of itself, is obviously going to make waves with creedal Christianity.
Rather than a replacement for creedal Christianity the church would consider itself to be a restoration of lost truths.
Okay, what are some examples of those lost truths (and I’m going to need you to show they were once practiced at the time of Jesus, then stopped being practiced, and then were restored by Smith or his successors)?
Premise 1. Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable.
Premise 2. The best evidence for the Book of Mormon is eyewitness testimony.
Conclusion. Therefore, the best evidence for the Book of Mormon is notoriously unreliable.
I like the model of a friend of mine who is a practicing Jew and a professor of Religious Studies. He believes that Christians are Jews. On that basis, I believe that Mormons should be considered Christians, and that they are arguably closer to the Jews in certain respects than most Christians are.
But then, what are Jews?
he/him
“I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time so that my children can live in peace.” — Thomas Paine
Rather than a replacement for creedal Christianity, the church would consider itself to be a restoration of lost truths.
Regards,
MG
Good point. Would those naysayers have us believe that the Office of the Stake President simply died out? It was one of the lost truths that has been restored via the Lord's language of Early Modern English.
The Office was banished by one of those so-called "creeds" and now it has been restored!!! This isn't just crazy talk by a TBM, it is the real thing.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
