Mormons are Christians

Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Recently in the media and other news worthy happenings, there has been a lot of talk about Mormons, Christianity and the Book of Mormon. Being a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints myself, I have an inside view of both sides of the story.

Picture: Historic title pages and covers of the Book of Mormon in Portuguese, upper left, Mandarin Chinese, upper right, German, lower left, and Japanese, lower right.

I was born into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York back in 1959.  My mother had always been particularly interested in Christianity as she felt something missing in her life.  We were raised as the “Conservative” sect of Judaism as my father came from the Orthodox sect and my mother from the Reform sect.  We moved to New Jersey where we attended synagogue and I learned the customs of the religion but I wasn’t comfortable there. At 

seven years old, I had a distinct thirst for religious instruction but our Rabbi said I was too old and dismissed my mother’s request. I was very disappointed.  At the age of nine, my parents announced that we were to be visited by two Mormon Missionaries.  I was curious and very delighted with the thought of changing religions.  We were baptized 6 months later and I was thrilled that I didn't have to bother with Judaism again.  But that was not to be.  My parents didn't tell our family of our new journey and we went on to family gatherings as if nothing ever happened, all the while attending church each week and other church related activities.

 There is an outcry from many churches around the country that “Mormons” are not Christians. I hear this repeatedly and as a member of this church, it is frustrating.  From the beginning of its birth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is most certainly a Christian based religion.  We follow our Savior in every way we can and our leaders encourage this behavior always.  Our church is almost always the first on the scene of a disaster helping others with food, water and clothing and we most certainly want peace in every country we are established.  So why aren’t we considered Christians.

 The Book of Mormon might be one reason.  This sacred scripture is a record of the ancient people of the Americas:  the ancestors of the North and South American Indian people.  It is a fascinating story of how those people traveled from ancient Israel, established their roots and then was visited by the Savior after he was crucified in Jerusalem.  That is why the subtitle to the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”, which it is.  Why can’t  others in the world be visited by the Savior.  Especially when He Himself has said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."  (John 10:16-King James Version)

So there you have it: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  We are Christians in the truest sense of the word.  We are not perfect as we are human beings but we strive to make good choice and do the right thing by mankind. Check out this article on the Book of Mormon. It's very informative and it will shed a better light on the subject.

Interesting article on the Translation of the Book of Mormon