View source for Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 2

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|L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 2
|H=Response to claims in "Hinckley Claims LDS Worship Different Christ"
|T=Watchman Fellowship
|A=James K. Walker
|<=[[../Section 1|Claims made in "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile"]]
|>=[[../Section 3|Claims made in "Mormonism Overview"]]
}}
{{ChartWatchmanSection2}}
<onlyinclude>
{{H2
|L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 2
|H=Response to claims in "Hinckley Claims LDS Worship Different Christ" by Watchman Fellowship
|S=
|L1=Response to claim: Gordon B. Hinckley's statement to "prove" that Latter-day Saints believe in "another Christ"
|L2=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Eternally God." The "Mormon Christ" was "not always God" and "became a God"
|L3=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Only God." The "Mormon Christ" is "One of Many Gods"
|L4=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Creator of All Things." The "Mormon Christ" "Was Created; Spirit Brother of Lucifer"
|L5=Response to claim: The "Mormon Christ" is "Begotten Sexually, by God the Father"
|L6=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Not Married."The "Mormon Christ" is "Married with Children"
|L7=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Atoned for Sin by Death on the Cross." The "Mormon Christ" is "Atoned by Sweating Blood in Gethsemane"
|L8=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" "Justifies the Ungodly." The "Mormon Christ" "Requires Godliness before Justification"
|L9=Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Offers Full Salvation Unconditionally." The "Mormon Christ" "Offers Full Salvation Only on Conditions"
}}
</onlyinclude>
==Response to claim: Gordon B. Hinckley's statement to "prove" that Latter-day Saints believe in "another Christ"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=
The authors use Gordon B. Hinckley's statement to "prove" that Latter-day Saints believe in "another Christ." President Hinckley stated that Latter-day Saints
<blockquote>
do not believe in the traditional Christ. No, I don't. The traditional Christ of whom they speak is not the Christ of whom I speak. For the Christ of whom I speak has been revealed in this the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
</blockquote>
|authorsources=<br>
#LDS Church News, June 20, 1998. {{link|url=http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/libstory_church?dn98&9806210091}}
}}
{{misinformation|Latter-day Saints reject non-biblical aspects of the ''creeds'' about Christ.}}
}}
{{:Question: Did Gordon B. Hinckley say that Latter-day Saints do not worship the biblical Jesus?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Eternally God." The "Mormon Christ" was "not always God" and "became a God"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Eternally God." The "Mormon Christ" was "not always God" and "became a God."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{misinformation|This is viewed in terms of Jesus rather than God the Father. Jesus ''did'' change in the sense that while he was Divine in his pre-mortal state, he became mortal, “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52), “learned” obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8), died, was resurrected and exalted on high. That the scriptures speak of Jesus growing in grace (favor) and wisdom and learning is significant.}}
}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Only God." The "Mormon Christ" is "One of Many Gods"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Only God." The "Mormon Christ" is "One of Many Gods."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{disinformation|
In LDS theology, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God. That oneness is understood differently than the creeds.
}}
{{:Question: Are Mormons polytheists because they don't accept the Nicene Creed?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Creator of All Things." The "Mormon Christ" "Was Created; Spirit Brother of Lucifer"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Creator of All Things." The "Mormon Christ" "Was Created; Spirit Brother of Lucifer."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{propaganda|
Much of this is false.  Jesus was not created in LDS theology.  Jesus is also the Creator in LDS theology: "he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary" ({{s||Mosiah|3|8}}).  Latter-day Saints, like the early Christians, reject the creedal doctrine of ''creatio ex nihilo'' (creation out of nothing).
}}
{{:Question: Do Latter-day Saints consider Jesus to be the brother of Satan?}}

==Response to claim: The "Mormon Christ" is "Begotten Sexually, by God the Father"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ProfileItemShort
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Begotten Miraculously, of the Holy Spirit." The "Mormon Christ" is "Begotten Sexually, by God the Father."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{disinformation|There is no LDS doctrine on the method of Jesus' conception, save to say He is literally God's son. In LDS doctrine, "the virgin [Mary]...is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh....she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time" she bore Jesus, the Son of God (see {{s|1|Nephi|11|18-19}}).
}}
{{:Question: Do Mormons believe that Mary was still a virgin when Jesus was born?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Not Married."The "Mormon Christ" is "Married with Children"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Not Married."The "Mormon Christ" is "Married with Children."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{disinformation|Some early LDS believed Jesus may have been married; the Church has no doctrine on this position.  The scriptures do not tell us if Jesus was married or not.
}}
{{:Question: Do Mormons believe Jesus Christ was married?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Atoned for Sin by Death on the Cross." The "Mormon Christ" is "Atoned by Sweating Blood in Gethsemane"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Atoned for Sin by Death on the Cross." The "Mormon Christ" is "Atoned by Sweating Blood in Gethsemane"
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{misinformation|}}
This is false.  Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus' atoning sacrifice ''began'' in the Garden of Gethsemane, and was ''completed'' by his death on the cross.  Furthermore, Jesus' entire perfect life formed part of his offering and mission in our behalf.
}}
{{:Question: Are Latter-day Saints are not true Christians because they do not use the cross and believe that the atonement occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" "Justifies the Ungodly." The "Mormon Christ" "Requires Godliness before Justification"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" "Justifies the Ungodly." The "Mormon Christ" "Requires Godliness before Justification."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{misinformation|}}
The authors here regard ''their'' late, rather idiosyncratic brand of conservative Protestant Christianity to be the same as "traditional" Christian views.  But, in fact, there have been multiple Christian views on this point throughout history.

In LDS doctrine, one is initially justified by the receipt of the Holy Ghost at baptism (see {{s||Moses|6|60}}).  This requires faith in Christ, repentance, and baptism.  The Book of Mormon contains account of wicked, ungodly individuals receiving this blessing prior to any change in behavior (see {{s||Mosiah|27|8-31}}; {{s||Alma|36||}}.)  Even in these critics' theology one must "do something" to be justified: accept Christ.
}}
{{:Question: What can the writings of early Christians tell us about how to receive salvation in Jesus Christ?}}

==Response to claim: The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Offers Full Salvation Unconditionally." The "Mormon Christ" "Offers Full Salvation Only on Conditions"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Profile
|claim=The "Traditional Christian Christ" is "Offers Full Salvation Unconditionally." The "Mormon Christ" "Offers Full Salvation Only on Conditions."
|authorsources=<br>
#}}
{{misinformation|}}
The authors here regard ''their'' late, rather idiosyncratic brand of conservative Protestant Christianity to be the same as "traditional" Christian views.  But, in fact, there have been multiple Christian views on this point throughout history.

The critics' theology does not offer salvation without ''any'' conditions: it requires that one accept Jesus.  Latter-day Saints likewise believe that one must accept Jesus' sacrifice&mdash;those who do so sincerely will keep the conditions which the scriptures require: faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, being born again of the Spirit, and enduring to the end.
}}
{{:Question: How does the Mormon view of the Atonement compare to the evangelical Christian view?}}



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