According to Joel Osteen, Mormons Are True Christians
The video footage below is of Joel Osteen’s interview on “FoxNews.” In the video Joel Osteen is asked if Mormons are true Christians. He responds, "In my mind they are."
Before I expound on this video, let me first say that I am not in favor of Mitt Romeny for the Republican Candidacy. I am not opposed to Romney because of his religion though. I agree wholeheartedly with Martin Luther when he stated, “that he would rather be ruled by a competent Turk (Muslim) than an incompetent Christian." I believe a proper understanding of the Bible's teaching of the Two Kingdoms allows one to hold to this position. Please understand me though, my preference is always for a competent Christian in the White House. However, just because someone calls himself/herself a Christian doesn't make them competent. I have long said that we don't need more Christian Lawyers, Christian Teachers, Christian Doctors, etc... Rather we need more Lawyers that are Christians, more Teachers that are Christians and more Doctors that are Christians. With that said, let us move on to Joel Osteen's quotes.
What is so fascinating is that Joel Osteen agrees with Chris Wallace's question that Mormons are true Christians. When challenged though, Joel states that he is not the judge of the "little details."
What is tricky in this situation is that Mormons and Christians use similar faith-talk words that often times mean different things. In other words, when one says, "I believe in Jesus" what do they mean? This could mean any number of things such as:
Before I expound on this video, let me first say that I am not in favor of Mitt Romeny for the Republican Candidacy. I am not opposed to Romney because of his religion though. I agree wholeheartedly with Martin Luther when he stated, “that he would rather be ruled by a competent Turk (Muslim) than an incompetent Christian." I believe a proper understanding of the Bible's teaching of the Two Kingdoms allows one to hold to this position. Please understand me though, my preference is always for a competent Christian in the White House. However, just because someone calls himself/herself a Christian doesn't make them competent. I have long said that we don't need more Christian Lawyers, Christian Teachers, Christian Doctors, etc... Rather we need more Lawyers that are Christians, more Teachers that are Christians and more Doctors that are Christians. With that said, let us move on to Joel Osteen's quotes.
What is so fascinating is that Joel Osteen agrees with Chris Wallace's question that Mormons are true Christians. When challenged though, Joel states that he is not the judge of the "little details."
What is tricky in this situation is that Mormons and Christians use similar faith-talk words that often times mean different things. In other words, when one says, "I believe in Jesus" what do they mean? This could mean any number of things such as:
- I believe that Jesus was a historic teacher and man only
- I believe that Jesus was a created being formerly Michael the Archangel
- I believe that Jesus was a good rabbi
- I believe that Jesus was a spirit being
- I believe that Jesus was true man and true God
- I believe in following Jesus as a model for better living
Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we flesh out these "little details" to see what is behind the words that are being used. Questions like, "What do you mean? Can you please rephrase that for me?" are great to ask so as to bring forth an understanding of what is actually meant.
In order to get a little more clarity on this I went to Mormon.org. I logged on to an online conversation with one of their missionaries to see if I could obtain some information on these "little details." My conversation is below.
From my conversation with Emma I learned two things. The first was that she was a very patient and kind missionary towards me. The second is that as a Mormon missionary, she also doesn't get hung up on the, "little details."
What are your thoughts?
To Learn More About Mormons CLICK HERE to access a teaching sheet on their beliefs.
What are your thoughts?
To Learn More About Mormons CLICK HERE to access a teaching sheet on their beliefs.
Comments
I agree, "believe in Jesus" means different things to different people; Jesus himself recognized this when he asked, "who do people say that I am?" Unfortunately, we tend to make up our own concept of who Jesus is; for example, many believe Jesus is a right-wing supporter of Democracy and the American Way (who looks a lot like Chuck Norris). But, Mormonism (the LDS variety) crosses a big line, going beyond personality into Christ's very nature.
I found it interesting years ago when I made a habit of dialoging with Mormon missionaries. Many of them are converts from evangelical denominations who were never taught the essential details about the nature of God, etc. If the church doesn't teach "the little details," then we're in trouble.
On the issue of words meaning different things to different people, I remember reading a talk given around Easter by a faculty member of a local university that had Methodist roots. He said he believed in the resurrection. After a little probing, I found he meant not the physical kind but the “Jesus in my heart” kind.
Got to watch the words carefully.
Curt
The Mormon faith is strong in our neck of the woods. They believe our faith is one and the same. Like many Christians—Lutherans not excluded—I presume the faith of many Mormons is more imagined and narcissistic than biblical.
~matt