Is "Mormonism" Christian?

In the news lately has been another in a long string of non-issues raised by candidates for the Presidency of the United States of America. The senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Robert Jeffress, made disparaging comments about Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons in the common vernacular). Then he added to his rhetoric about the LDS Church an indictment of Mitt Romney not being Christian…because he was Mormon. All of this was done in support of Governor Rick Perry‘s rapidly failing campaign.

Not unlike the Apostle Peter, Perry (sic) went out, and wept bitterly, (Luke 22:62) disclaiming the good pastor’s comment three separate times.

Well, I wanted to run a brief comparison between Jesus Christ and his “disciple Jeffress”.

Although prophesied in the Old Testament several time that Christ would come and redeem his people, not much is said about the reason it would happen. In hindsight we can see that the reasoning was pretty much for political purposes. A growing assemblage of people were turning to Christ and away from the ruling class that would “strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.”

One of Christ’s disciples, Judas, was among those that wanted Him to be a political leader and throw off the chains of the Roman empire. Judas joined the jealousy squad because it would further his ends…or so he thought, not unlike Pastor Jeffress.

They both failed to recognize what it really took to be a Christian. In the late of the night, a group of soldiers led by Judas ascended a mountain with the sole purpose of incarcerating Jesus Christ to bring Him to trial. Peter, who would later deny knowing Christ, drew his sword in defense of his Master. Now, note the response of Jesus Christ compared to the vitriol of Pastor Jeffress.

“And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.” (Luke 22:51)

We later learn that this confused follower of Christ went out and hung himself. Not only did he realize that what he had done was wrong, he also recognized that he had been duped by vain ambitions of politicians. He recognized that the good cause he thought he would help was in fact all for nothing.

It is interesting that when tried, Jesus Christ “uttered not a word.”  His only defense was being who he was. What is remarkable is that leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did likewise. “