Comments on: Linker And Mormonism http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:07:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5297 Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:38:06 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5297 I agree with the comparison (the Mormons themselves have apparently taken to preferring the term henotheism, as have some Hindus, instead of the potentially more pejorative polytheism), and it is one to which I alluded to in an earlier post on Mormonism. I noted this view of Christ by some Vaishnavites by way of dispensing with the idea that just any adoration of Christ makes you a Christian, but the comparison still holds up: http://larison.org/2006/11/22/the-list-could-go-on/ In fact, with their doctrine of God being an exalted man Mormons are even less in agreement with Nicene Christians than the Arians were. The Arians at least acknowledged that the Father was eternal and agenetos, which official Mormon teaching, as I understand it, does not endorse. I agree with the comparison (the Mormons themselves have apparently taken to preferring the term henotheism, as have some Hindus, instead of the potentially more pejorative polytheism), and it is one to which I alluded to in an earlier post on Mormonism. I noted this view of Christ by some Vaishnavites by way of dispensing with the idea that just any adoration of Christ makes you a Christian, but the comparison still holds up:

http://larison.org/2006/11/22/the-list-could-go-on/

In fact, with their doctrine of God being an exalted man Mormons are even less in agreement with Nicene Christians than the Arians were. The Arians at least acknowledged that the Father was eternal and agenetos, which official Mormon teaching, as I understand it, does not endorse.

]]> by: razib http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5286 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 03:29:08 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5286 <i>They accepted and honoured Christ in some form</i> some hindus honor christ as an avatar of the godhead too. mormons are henotheists. jews and muslims are skeptical of trinitarian christian claims to monotheism, but with mormonism it seems like there is no debate. its forms and rituals exhibit christian influence, but phenetically it seems to resemble a bhakti hindu movement.... They accepted and honoured Christ in some form

some hindus honor christ as an avatar of the godhead too. mormons are henotheists. jews and muslims are skeptical of trinitarian christian claims to monotheism, but with mormonism it seems like there is no debate. its forms and rituals exhibit christian influence, but phenetically it seems to resemble a bhakti hindu movement….

]]> by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5284 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:53:16 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5284 Good point. I was not being terribly clear there. As I have said before, I think Mormons are Christians only in the sense that Valentinians or Arians might be technically considered Christians. They accepted and honoured Christ in some form, but did not believe anything like what all other Christians believed about Him. In this way Mormons are Christian heretics, but heretics of such an extreme kind that they cannot meaningfully be conventionally identified as Christians as you would identify Protestants, non-Chalcedonians, Assyrians, etc. Good point. I was not being terribly clear there. As I have said before, I think Mormons are Christians only in the sense that Valentinians or Arians might be technically considered Christians. They accepted and honoured Christ in some form, but did not believe anything like what all other Christians believed about Him. In this way Mormons are Christian heretics, but heretics of such an extreme kind that they cannot meaningfully be conventionally identified as Christians as you would identify Protestants, non-Chalcedonians, Assyrians, etc.

]]> by: Grumpy Old Man http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5283 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 00:40:39 +0000 http://larison.org/2007/01/04/linker-and-mormonism/#comment-5283 <blockquote>Except as a heresy (which is admittedly no small thing), it poses no threat whatever. It seems to me that it is quite one thing to note that Mormons are not Christians and for Christian voters to take that into account when judging a Mormon candidate.</blockquote> I have no quarrel with your discussion, but the above two sentences confuse me. Is not a "heretic" a Christian who adheres to doctrines that are unsound, as say, the non-Chalcedonians, as opposed to a non-Christian, like, say, the Manicheans? Or can there be a heresy that has roots in Christianity but has diverged so far from Christianity that it is not Christian? Some even say the Quran is partly derived from Syriac Christian texts; it acknowledges Jesus as a prophet but condemns the concept fo the Trinity; and is therefore a Christian heresy of a kind.

Except as a heresy (which is admittedly no small thing), it poses no threat whatever.

It seems to me that it is quite one thing to note that Mormons are not Christians and for Christian voters to take that into account when judging a Mormon candidate.

I have no quarrel with your discussion, but the above two sentences confuse me. Is not a “heretic” a Christian who adheres to doctrines that are unsound, as say, the non-Chalcedonians, as opposed to a non-Christian, like, say, the Manicheans?

Or can there be a heresy that has roots in Christianity but has diverged so far from Christianity that it is not Christian? Some even say the Quran is partly derived from Syriac Christian texts; it acknowledges Jesus as a prophet but condemns the concept fo the Trinity; and is therefore a Christian heresy of a kind.

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