I consider myself someone who is not easily offended. You would have to be an incredible jerk for me to get to the point that I never want to talk to you again. There are lots of things that annoy me, but only momentarily and then I'm over it and move on. I have to confess that the recent media coverage on the "Are Mormons Christian?" issue has really bugged me; not to the point that I'm irate or up in arms over it, but I definitely find myself feeling somewhere between annoyed and miffed. What gives someone else the right to decide who is Christian and who is not? I have friends of other faiths, and while I recognize that we don't have the exact same beliefs, I would never even think of saying "you are not Christian because we don't have the exact same beliefs." We share a fundamental belief, a belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer.
Throughout this media discussion/debate, this littls song keep popping into my head:
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I know who I am.
I know God’s plan.
I’ll follow him in faith.
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ.
I’ll honor his name.
I’ll do what is right;
I’ll follow his light.
His truth I will proclaim.
("The Church of Jesus Christ" words and music: Janice Kapp Perry, b. 1938. © 1989 IRI)
That is one of my kids' favorite songs from Primary and I'm so glad they know it, so that when someone, someday confronts them about what they believe, this song will pop into their heads, just like it pops into mine.
I started rereading the New Testament earlier this year, and in the midst of this debate, I happened to be reading Acts 5 where Gamaliel counsels moderation to those who want to kill Paul and the apostles, saying:
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
Any church founded by a man would not stand the test of time. I do not belong to a "theological cult." I believe the gospel that was established by Jesus Christ in the New Testament was restored in it's fulness by the power of God, under the direction of Jesus Christ, through Joseph Smith. I honor and revere Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, just as I honor and revere the prophets and apostles of the Bible.
I believe we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, who recieves revelation from a loving, living, unchanging Heavenly Father to guide and direct all the saints on the earth today, just as He did through Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph in their days.
I believe The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, to be the word of God given to us for our day, just as I believe the Bible to be the word of God.
I am a Mormon.
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Redeemer, the only one through whom we can be saved.
I am a Christian.
If you'd like to know more about me and what I believe, please visit http://www.mormon.org/ and read my profile.
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