Mormons, Catholics and Evangelicals... Unity??

The Mormon Church in Australia presented Catholic Cardinal Edward Cassidy with an award for his devotion to "ecumenical and inter-faith dialogue" ("Interfaith Honour for Cardinal Cassidy," Catholic Weekly, Oct. 1, 2006).

The Mormons are gradually working their way into the mainstream of the ecumenical movement. In November 2004 some evangelicals, (including [b]Ravi Zacharias[/b], CCM musician [b]Michael Card[/b], [b]Richard Mouw[/b] of Fuller Seminary, and [b]Craig Hazen[/b] of Biola University) joined hands with Mormons in Salt Lake City for an "Evening of Friendship." The event was co-sponsored by Standing Together Ministries, which was formed in 2001 by "evangelical" preacher [b]Greg Johnson[/b] to "build greater dialogue between evangelical Christians and Latter-day Saints."

In the Deseret Morning News, [b]Michael Card[/b] is quoted as saying that he “doesn't see Mormonism and evangelical Christianity as opposed to each other; they are more like the two ends of a long thread--part of the same thing." He also said, "The older I get, I guess the more I want to integrate everything. [i]I think it's more important to be faithful than right[/i]" (Nov. 16, 2004).

I'm sure this "Evening of Friendship" only frustrated the efforst of Christian ministries in Utah that work hard to win Mormons for Christ. I wonder how they felt watching these supposed "Christian" leaders join hands with Mormons and give implied approval of their false gospel.

I am not surprised at this move toward the acceptance of Mormons by some evangelicals. If John Paul II and Mother Teresa, with their false gospel, can be accepted as fellow believers, why not Mormons? Why not JW’s?

[b]2Co 6:14[/b] [i]Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?[/i]

Krispy

Hi Krispy,

Are you saying that public moves towards formal dialogue with other faiths, implies the inner life of the believer is compromised?

I would say it is not (compromised), but, I agree that there is no continuum between Christianty and Mormonism (for instance).

But then, there is no continuum between biblical faith and a great deal of what goes on in today's churches.

This is not a reason NOT to be upset by any misrepresentation of Christ to the world, but in the end, each individual soul answers for him and herself directly to God - not to the world, or to us. As such, you, and I, are free to continue evangelising to a biblical faith, those who are 'of the world', regardless of what they call themselves.

During the "Evening of Friendship" Ravi Zacharias, Michael Card, Richard Mouw and Craig Hazen said absolutely nothing about Biblical salvation to these Mormons. Instead, they joined hands and made claims that they have a common faith. This was [b]NOT[/b] evangelism. Not by a long shot.

Dorcas, did you conveniently miss the quote from Michael Card that was in my post? He said he “[b]doesn't see Mormonism and evangelical Christianity as opposed to each other; they are more like the two ends of a long thread--part of the same thing.[/b]"

Card is either showing his complete ignorance of Mormon doctrine, or he is showing that he doesnt care. I think it's both... he is ignorant, and he doesnt care... which is confirmed by his next statement when he says "[i]I think it's more important to be faithful than right[/i]." Adolf Hitler was faithful to his beliefs. (Mormons will tell you that Hitler was saved and is in a lower level heaven)

Biblical Christianity and Mormonism are polar opposites. They are [b]not[/b] "two ends of a long thread". They certainly are [b]not[/b] "part of the same thing".

Based on Card's statement alone it should be obvious that evangelism was not the motive here. If it was, it was perhaps the biggest blunder in the history of evangelism.

Card said the older he gets the more he wants to integrate everything. I think the older he gets the looser his grip on reality has become. He needs to get back to the Bible.

Scripture is pretty black and white about most things, evangelism included. Dorcas, you want to make everything fuzzy and soft. Sorry... these "evangelicals" were wrong, and they have perhaps contributed to many souls staying in Mormonism, with the ultimate result being hell.

Krispy

Adam... it's called "religious political correctness". We're too afraid we might offend someone.

I think I'd rather offend someone if it means that the offense might eventually lead them to the Lord. The cross is an offense.

Krispy

Kripsy asked

Dorcas, did you conveniently miss the quote from Michael Card that was in my post?

Did you read my post just a little too quickly? I agree with you don't I?

But what confuses most christians is the fact that if you goto google and type in 'free bibles' the only people who are willing to send you a free bible are the moromons and heretical christian denominations.

Ian... this is not entirely true. There are good fundamental Bible-believing churches that send out thousands of free Bibles every month. Here domestically and abroad. They are KJV.

Here's why they can afford to print the KJV and send it out free, and others cant afford to give away modern versions free: copyrights and royalties.

There is no copyright to the KJV. You can quote from it, print it, publish it absolutely free.

Not so with modern versions. Take, for instance, the NIV. If you print an NIV version of the Bible you have to get permission from the owner of the copyright, which is Zondervan. They wont let you print it for free, they're going to charge you... a lot. Then, should you sell them... even to recover your printing costs, you will pay royalties to Zondervan. Because Zondervan is owned by a [b]secular & godless[/b] corporation otherwise known as FOX, Fox gets a piece of the action. FOX is owned by Rupert Murdock. The money that FOX makes from the publishing companies it owns goes back into it's capital interests which is primarily trash on TV. Yea, most believers love FOXNews... but look at the absolute trash going out over the ariwaves on their networks. Pro-gay, anti-God, high school dramas where everyone is having sex, etc etc. That hot-airbag Bill O'Reilly decries television for the trash it's feeding to the kids of America... while collecting a fat paycheck from one of the biggest offenders. It's a joke!

Thats why it's difficult for a ministry to give away Bibles, other than the KJV. Simply buying bulk NIVs to give away is still putting money in the hands of a corporation that will turn around and use it to saturate our society with more immoral filth.

Thats just the NIV...

And most folks on this website who quote extensively from the NIV in their forum posts are in violation of copyright laws. Bet y'all didnt know that, did you?

The Mormon church holds it's own copyrights. They have more common sense than the [b]real[/b] church of Jesus Christ. How pathetic is that?

Krispy

He quite frankly says that Joseph Smith's teachings cannot coexhist with the claims of Jesus in the bible.

Well, then Ravi is a hypocrite. How can he claim that, yet coexist with Mormons in ecumenical communion?

My neighbors are Mormons. I'll go help them remodel a room in their house... but we sure wont be joining hands and praying together until the Word of God I am constantly trying to preach to them sinks in and they become born again. Until that time... we can not coexist in spiritual unity.

It's a dark lie to say that we can.

Krispy

but he is not above joining hands with athiests, muslims, hindus, buddhists, catholics and even mormons with the purpose of bringing the truth to them.

Where do we ever see Jesus or any of the Apostles doing this? We dont. What we do see is Paul saying:

[b]Rom 16:17[/b] [i]Now I beseech you, brethren, [b]mark[/b] then which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and [b]avoid[/b] them.[/i]

We can witness to them... but we are also to mark them and avoid them. Holding an "Evening of Friendship" with the enemies of Christ is [b]not[/b] avoiding them. And it's certainly not marking them. It's actually putting a blanket of approval on them.

It's flat out disobedience to the Word of God.

Krispy

Well I do not know the motivations of Ravi Zacharias being there

I'm not judging Ravi's heart. I am open to the idea that his intent was to be a witness. That being said, if that was his motivation... fine... but his actions were wrong. This was clearly an ecumenical service. The Mormons saw it as finding common ground, Michael Card saw is as finding common ground... and apparently any message of salvation that Ravi had to give was clearly lost on the others.

At best it was a blunder.

I've witnessed to Mormons. You dont evangelize them by joining hands with them. They think they have won you over. They want to evangelize you even more than you do them! You evangelize Mormons by [b]shattering[/b] their beliefs. You have to be tough and stern with these people. You have to confront them about what they believe. Warm mushy fuzzies and flowers will not win a Mormon.

Krispy

Karen... thanx for the recommendations. I'll check 'em out.

I know plenty about it because I used to be part of it. "Judge not" and "Touch not the Lord's annointed" was crammed down my throat during that period of time. It's their manipulative way of stopping people from questioning what was going on. Forgetting that Paul exhorted us as common believers to be Bereans... dont just accept everything you're told.

Krispy