Mormons are excluded as Christians in that we do not share the conviction that the Bible alone is enough, that the present canon of scripture is so perfect, so complete, that it cannot possibly be improved upon. We do not agree that it alone answers all theological questions with clarity. We do not agree that any inspiration from God to man or woman now is only superfluous and redundant.

This assertion goes hand in hand with Bible inerrancy. It is supposed that the Bible in its many retranslations from language to language to language has remained without error. The radical inerrantists typically believe that through the protection of God there is no corruption. God has never provided such protection over time to anything assembled by woman or man, with his guidance or not. Mormons are a bit more reasonable in knowing that the Bible can easily be misinterpreted. Through the great centuries of mankind, we looked to the present for the words of living prophets, even living prophetesses for help in the days we lived.

The scorn of truth has been common to all ages. We suggest you ignore it still and evaluate truth from us for a time by spending some time with the Book of Mormon.

We are confronted with some version of the following logical argument:

1. Every wit of religious truth is found in the Bible.
2. The Revelations of Joseph Smith are not found in the Bible.
3. Therefore, the revelations of Joseph Smith are not religious truth.

But how about this counter:

4. Premise number 1 is not found in the Bible either.
5. Therefore, Premise number 1 is not religious truth.
6. Where Premise number 1 is not religious truth, then neither is conclusion 3, which is based upon it.

Further support for #4: The word or concept of "Bible" is not found in the Bible. Thus, there is no evidence that the writers of the books of scripture thought it productive to bind and close all scripture at any particular time. They never thought that scripture would end or it would have been found written as such by them.

This justification of excluding Mormons as Christians is that we have a different canon (authoritative list of sacred books) than do real Christians, in that we add books of scripture to the Christian Bible. The passage usually identified in support of this position is Rev. 22:18-19: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book ; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

The naïve and casual reader of scripture might wish to apply this to the entirety of the Bible where it is found in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible. John’s Book of Revelation was a book unto itself, remaining such for centuries. Scholarly consensus does not date Revelation as the last book written. If Revelation was not the last book of the New Testament to be written, then obviously Rev. 22: 18-19 cannot be understood as an authoritative statement closing the canon of scripture.



The emptiness of the assertion deepens when it is realized that there was no Bible as a standard collection of bound works at the time Revelation was written. A standard collection simply did not exist. For centuries after the death of John the individual books that now compose the standard Bible were being circulated singly or in combination with several others, but never as a complete Bible.

Of the 362 biblical manuscripts dated prior to the tenth century, none contain the entire Bible.

When John warned against adding to the “prophecy of this book”, he was not referring to the collections of books bound together in one volume and known as the Bible.

The question worthy of an answer is "Why would Christians resort to such a weak argument to reject the Mormons?"

An explanation is needed in describing our wrong pedigree: It should be noted that the Mormon reason for being is that the death of the original apostles of Jesus Christ ended Apostolic succession, being there were no more Apostles annointed.

It is not hard to see we are in the last days. Yesterday's news was that sources unknown had been planning to nuke 7 major U.S. cities the same day, some time in the near future. Then there is all sorts of supporting evidence with news that the harvestable fishes of the oceans will be fished out within a few more decades....not to be the bearer of bad news....because there is hope.

We believe the so-called historical Christian church no longer possesses the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the Mormon doctrine of the Great Apostasy, a doctrine taught by Paul in the New Testament. in 2 Thes. 2 1-5 and Acts 20:29-31 Paul expressed his concern about an inevitable coming apostasy; he spent a great deal of energy warning the Church about it.

For this reason the LDS Church does not recognize the so-called binding authority of subsequent developments in historical Christianity.



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For all the criticism we recieve over this restoration, I chuckle that the Protestants essentially did the same thing in the fifteenth century in rejecting the historical pedigree of Catholicism.

In spite of Protestants and Catholics rejecting each other historically, each demanding they possess the true gospel, they still consider each other Christian.

Perhaps the left hand doesn't remember what the right hand was doing when their very inconsistant charges come in our direction.

Modern Christian Protestantism and Catholicism certainly see themselves as properly consisting of the events and doctrines found in the New Testament. They also see themselves as equally disposed to historical, theological, and traditional developments of the many centuries that followed. Typical some theological rejection of Mormons as Christians has been the assertion that we do not share the history or theology or traditions of “real” Christians. Because we do not share the pedigree found in traveling through the Protestant Reformation and all those councils of bishops. In this assertion they must likewise admit that biblical revelation is inadequate in standing alone in defining “Christianity”. Additionally, those arguing this point must likewise recognize that this has absolutely nothing to do with a belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and God.



So many of you who reject us as Christians have been reluctant to share your remarks here. If you find yourself in “Camp Rejection”, I ask the following (should you wish to contribute):

Do you personally believe that Jesus Christ was the literal Son of God, that he had no mortal father?

Do you believe in the divinity of the historical Jesus?

Do you believe that Jesus had the power to perform miracles?

Do you believe that he took upon himself the sins of the world in some literal way, as a real transfer of real guilt?

Do you believe in some literal way Jesus died for us?

Do you believe in the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus?

Do you believe in a final judgment for all?

Do you believe in an afterlife at all?

Are you a Christian?

(I remain hopeful that you do share your convictions here, appropriately.)

(Transcribed by Gecko the words of my wife, Streisand, who is in Honolulu Pro Bowl with Hawaii Special Olympics)

In addition to fabrication, the Protestant and Catholic reject the Mormon through distortion. They distort known LDS doctrines then criticize their distortions as if ours. They distort our dialogue and then criticize their distortions. There is nothing innocent about it, it being one of their primary strategies

Just this week in a brief exchange with Thomisticguy, I remarked in his lament of so little effort made by Protestants in strengthening the faith of the masses of weak membership and the finding of fresh members.

I wrote, “Imagine requiring your patrons to really change in order to return. Imagine expecting them to run the programs of the Church. Sacrificing for one's faith where it is a true principle brings God's confirming blessings.”

The Mormons do not have paid preachers or other integral positions filled by those who receive financial compensation. My point being, imagine a church filled with people so converted that they did ALL the work as the Lord ordered it to be done, charitably! Remember the Apostles of Jesus Christ while you think about that.

But I wrote it to no avail. Thomisticguy quickly stated, “To my knowledge, no denomination of orthodox Christianity has ever required the unconverted to “really change in order to return” to its public services. This, I believe, would be a violation of the spirit of Christ who was a “friend of sinners” and came to “seek and save the lost.” The church rightly requires that those who are converted demonstrate a change in behavior from sin to righteousness. Yet, even this is understood to be a life process of growth in God’s grace. On the other hand, LDS doctrine is grounded in a man-centered form of religious ethical behavior, so, it makes sense that people must “change in order to return” to an LDS church.”

The Mormons through Thomisticguy’s wild distortion commit a “violation of the spirit of Christ…to (have members) change in order to attend church”. He continues in his condemnation of his own distortion with, “LDS doctrine is grounded in a man-centered form of religious ethical behavior, so, it makes sense that people must ‘change in order to return’ to an LDS church.” Real smooth to grossly distort in order to justify the complete fabrication of our church now being uniquely “man-centered”.



Well, for the investigator, all are welcomed at our church services. Our own excommunicated are welcomed at our church services. We deny nobody access to our church services. The opposite view as stated by Thomisticguy is a FABRICATION. As for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints being “man-centered”, you better believe it. As was the case with the Church Christ established and the Priesthood stretching back several millennia prior to him, it too was “man-centered”. Read your Bible, please. Condemn us and you must condemn the Apostles and all the old testament prophets with them.

Womens organizations within the Mormon Church are decidedly "Women Centered" throughout. This worldwide organization is called the Relief Society and is the largest womens service organization in the world, I am told. Perhaps that is only the free world where we know little about the other world.

The fact remains, fabrications and distortions make for an impossible give and take with anti-Mormons.

Why the fabrications? Why the distortions? If what you have invites more members than it loses, why resort to such tactics? If what you have as a denomination loses more members than it gains, does that explain these tactical strategies?

"And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;

"For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you."