H e b r e w T r e e

From: Heather
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 8:27 AM
To: XXXX
Subject: Here it is...

This is an awesome explanation of our religion and what exactly we believe in...bottom line. If you and your friend still think that Mormons are not Christians, then I would say, you really need to do some research on our religion and what our foundation is. This came from my brother, I sent him the emails yesterday and asked for his input. He's the most level headed guy. Really, he thinks any religion can be backed by scriptures coming from the bible. Our entire religion can be backed by the bible. Forget about the book of Mormon and forget about Joseph Smith. He can literally sit down and open the bible and quote scriptures from it...that backs what we believe in. But yet he still sees other view points like yours. Because you guys have scriptures to back your views too. In the end, nothing can be proven. It's all about faith and what you believe in.

Send this to Nicole and Sherry...let me know what they say. It'll be interesting. It fathoms me how some strong Christians are so set on proving another religion false. There's nothing to prove, it's all beliefs and we have the bible to help guide us.



-----Original Message-----
From: Brock
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 11:15 PM
To: Heather
Subject: <><>

There is a lot of he said she said stuff that is said about every religion that most people in the end don't understand at all. When it comes to the basics of the "Mormon" church it comes down to one thing. Do you believe that it is through Christ that we can be saved, and the answer is yes. It is only through Christ that any of us can be saved. By his great sacrifice which we refer to as the atonement, which started it the garden of Gethsemane and ended at his resurrection. He took upon him the sins of the world from the beginning to the end of time, so that we can be free of these sins. He suffered for each and everyone one of our sins in that garden on Gethsemane, and then proceeded to seal it by dying for us upon the cross. Without any of this we would not be able to be free of our sins. He then 3 days later was resurrected and returned back to heaven which is crucial part of the atonement. The resurrection means that his soul and body were reunited back together, but in a glorified state. So Yes, "Mormons" are christian. WE believe in the cross just as much as anybody else. Just cause our "church" decides not to focus on the cross and have necklaces and steeples on our churches doesn't mean we think it is any less important, cause it is. We just choose to focus on the life of Christ, the atonement in whole, (garden of Gethsemane, Calvary hill, and the resurrection) and his teachings rather then just his actual death for us upon the cross. We are as much christian as the next. Take out any thing else the Mormon church does for a second and look at the churches founding doctrine. And that is that its only through the atonement of Christ that we can return to heaven. Whether we believe that we must work hard at being good people also or that tithing should be paid, etc, etc. doesn't matter when the discussion at hand is "are Mo's christian". It is too obvious that we are when u stop looking at the fluff of the Mormon church and look at what its teachings are. On another point, all that "fluff" stuff is great. You don't need to go on a mission to be saved, or pay tithing, or not swear, or get married in the temple. These are teachings of our church that teach us life long lessons about sacrifice for others, true love, and how to truly give yourself to the lord. These are sacrifices that benefit ourselves, and many others. Why would anyone ever think tithing is a bad thing. Millions and millions of dollars are donated every year in tithing that go into helping thousands and thousands of lives around the world through various charities and programs. Tithing is a an act that was taught to us in the Old testament "bible" that members of the faith back then, and prophets practiced, that the lord commanded them to do. Nothing we do is new, its all from the ancient days ,especially the temple. Sure people can argue that the book of Mo is false and that Joseph Smith was messed up, but when it comes down to it, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is as christian as anyone else. Hell, you can just call us "over achieving" Christians because we try to hard. If what you say is true that everything was taken care of by Jesus dying for our sins, then every Mormon is covered under that. We just a busy over achievers trying to be better people and helping others.

But what it comes down to is that you cant prove any church right or wrong. You cant PROVE ANYTHING. The point of religion is to show faith in the lord Jesus Christ, not to PROVE that it is right. If we could prove it, then everyone on earth would follow it and it would defeat the purpose of this life.

Hope this helps with your understanding a bit. And please don't feel that i am dogging on your beliefs at all. This is just how we Mormons roll. haha Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.


From: Nicole Casper
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 11:15 PM
To: Heather
Subject: <><>


Hi Heather,

So, I’ve never met someone quite like this before.
I would much rather have you over to make pizza’s and get to know you than debate with you-and debating, or proving anything to you with my words is not my objective. I actually though that the “why don’t you think Mormons are Christians?” question was XXXX asking me, not a question from you to her. So please, let me clarify a few things. I would hate for you to have a stigma of me before we can laugh together.


[I am willing to double check any of this and open to being corrected if the bible says something that contradicts what I’ve misinterpreted.]

Yeah, it will always be a losing he said/she said battle.
I did think that her original question to you was your question to me, so let me clarify:
I can totally understand why Mormons would think that they are Christians when it comes down to morals. Living a morally correct lifestyle is a part of letting Jesus change you, for sure. But when it comes down to how we are changed, and who God is, we are different. We believe the moral code of what is right/wrong/sinful, comes after you believe in Christ, He changes us as we personally get to know him and fall madly in love with him, whereas Mormons do that before. (“You need to stop drinking diet coke”)
“Really, he thinks any religion can be backed by scriptures coming from the bible. Our entire religion can be backed by the bible.”
Wrong. Not when you read the whole thing. The bible warns greatly about other religions. The bible is a direct, and the only, source God has to teach us about truth, and truth is found in Jesus. Who is God.

“Do you believe that it is through Christ that we can be saved, and the answer is yes. It is only through Christ that any of us can be saved. By his great sacrifice which we refer to as the atonement, which started it the garden of Gethsemane and ended at his resurrection. He took upon him the sins of the world from the beginning to the end of time, so that we can be free of these sins. He suffered for each and everyone one of our sins in that garden on Gethsemane, and then proceeded to seal it by dying for us upon the cross. Without any of this we would not be able to be free of our sins.
Kind of. Atonement happened ON the Cross. At the Cross, all sins were taken away from those who put their trust and life in Jesus’ hands FOREVER. Definitely about all Jesus being our only saving source.

"He then 3 days later was resurrected and returned back to heaven which is crucial part of the atonement. The resurrection means that his soul and body"
wrong. Not body. God has no body. God is neither he nor she. Jesus was reunited with God, Jesus IS God. (confusing, I know.)

“Take out anything else the Mormon church does for a second and look at the churches founding doctrine.”
If he is referring to the Book of Mormon, which is what Mormonism uses as their main doctrine, along with many others, then that’s a problem. The bible is the only book Christians use as God-inspired text. Everything else is untrue and the bible gives very strict warnings for listening to other doctrines. (I mean, Opera magazine is probably even classified in there )

“ it’s only through the atonement of Christ that we can return to heaven. Whether we believe that we must work hard at being good people also or that tithing should be paid, etc, etc.”
If you believe that salvation is something you can earn or it makes you better at doing the whole religious thing, AND you believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, then that is so sad. Salvation is a FREE gift. You cannot earn. You are just as sinful as the man in prison who killed 7 people. And God loves you the same and there is nothing you could ever do to make God love you more or less. Being a good person means absolutely nothing if your heart isn’t aligned with Jesus and your motivation isn’t love.

“These are teachings of our church that teach us lifelong lessons about sacrifice for others, true love, and how to truly give yourself to the lord.”
Sure. Spiritual disciplines are great to grow your relationship with God. Reading your bible, tithing, giving, praying, fasting

“These are sacrifices that benefit ourselves, and many others. Why would anyone ever think tithing is a bad thing.”
It’s not about us.


“Nothing we do is new, it’s all from the ancient days ,especially the temple. Sure people can argue that the book of Mo is false and that Joseph Smith was messed up, but when it comes down to it, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is as Christian as anyone else.”
Wrong. The book of Mormon is false. Jesus was the last prophet on earth. If someone claims to be a prophet and they prophesize something to happen, it is doesn’t, they are a liar. Joseph Smith lied. A lot. No, when it comes down to it, Mormons and Christians believe differently in some of the huge doctrinal issues. I’m not arguing that specifically your friends are not Christians, from most of what they said they believe, they sound like confused Christians, but Mormonism and Christianity are not the same.)