Rick Perry woos U.S. social conservatives, pastor calls Mormonism a cult
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(U.S. Republican presidential candidate Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) waves after addressing the Values Voters Summit in Washington, October 7, 2011/Jonathan Ernst)
Republican Rick Perry, hoping to revive his struggling presidential bid, promised social conservatives on Friday that he would protect the family and restore the economy by getting the federal government out of their way. The Texas governor was one of five Republican presidential hopefuls to make a pitch for support at the influential annual “Values Voter Summit” of social and religious conservatives who play a big role in the party’s nominating race.
Perry, who has seen his lead in polls in the 2012 race disappear in recent weeks, was endorsed and introduced by prominent evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress of the 10,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, who called Perry a “a committed follower of Christ”and said evangelical Christian voters had a choice.
“Do we want someone who is a conservative out of convenience or one who is a conservative out of conviction?” he asked in a shot at Romney, a Mormon who is viewed skeptically by some conservatives for his past support for abortion rights and gay rights. “Do we want a candidate who is a good, moral person, or one who is a born-again follower of the Lord Jesus Christ?” asked Jeffress, who in the past and in remarks to reporters after Perry’s speech described Mormonism as a cult.
The Perry campaign rejected the pastor’s views on Mormons. “The governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult,” said Perry spokesman Mark Miner.
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“Do we want a candidate who is a good, moral person, or one who is a born-again follower of the Lord Jesus Christ?”
I think I’ll take the first one please.
IS IT BIGOTRY TO CALL MORMONS NON-CHRISTIAN?
Is Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church of Dallas a bigot for continually claiming that Mitt Romney, a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), is not Christian?
The Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines a bigot as: ” a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially: one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”
Merriam-Webster further defines a Christian as “one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.” The LDS Church has as it’s first Article of Faith: “WE believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” (Pearl of Great Price | Articles of Faith 1:1)
Jeffress and others insist publicly, “obstinately,” and “intolerantly” that members of the LDS faith are not Christian. I believe these people are bigoted, and they are obviously creating a new definition of what a Christian is.
Some have explained that the rationale for this new definition of Christianity being applied to Mormons is that they do not believe in the traditional Nicene Creed concept of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.
An examination of that rationale shows that the Nicene Creed was created 325 AD under the influence of the Roman Emperor, Constantine. It is recorded that he called the Council of Nicaea in an effort to unify different factions of religion in his empire. Members of the Council determined that the cornerstone belief of Christianity would be the concept that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one substance, even though the Creed also emphasizes that Jesus was begotten of the Father.
The Nicene Creed is not in the scriptures and is not scriptural. The scriptures are clear that Jesus and the Father were separate beings, as witnessed, for example, at the beginning of Christ’s ministry by John the Baptist: “And Jesus, when he was baptized , went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased .” (Matthew 3:16-17)
There are many references where Jesus is praying to the father. One such prayer was in the upper room the evening of the Last Supper: “… I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:4 – 5) Then, that same evening, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ pleaded, “…O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)
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On the following third day, when Mary Magdalene went to the tomb the morning of the Resurrection and found it empty, Jesus appeared to her and “…saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” (John 20:17)
In the account of Stephen, as he was being stoned “… being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,” (Acts 7:55)
These, and many other passages, create a Biblical theme about the nature of God, the Father and the relationship Jesus had with him. Part of the Lord’s great prayer at the Last Supper was: ” And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
There are references where Jesus taught: “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30); however, this oneness is made easy to understand when Jesus, again at the Last Supper, prayed to the Father for his disciples: “…that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11), and “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee , that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” (John 17:20 – 23)
Where does the Nicaean “one substance” concept come from? If this is such an important doctrine, why then, do the scriptures so clearly demonstrate the distinct separateness of the Godhead? I am confident that the authors of the Nicene Creed either misinterpreted or disregarded the Holy Bible in arriving at the “one substance” concept of the Godhead. Could we say, then, that those who believe in the Nicene Creed are not Christian? Not according to the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary definition of a Christian: “one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.”.
Verl T. Doman verldoman@gmail.com Cedar Hills, Utah