This is in response to "Are Christians and Mormons truly the same?"

In your last paragraph you state, "The differences are not a reason to bash anybody." However, your entire article is just that -- straight from the Anti-Mormon books.  As a life-long Latter-day Saint and return missionary I find your article filled with gross errors and misconceptions.  I don't claim to have all the answers, but I will attempt to defend my faith and what I know is true.  I don't have time to address every issue, but I will comment on as many items as I can.

You say "Is Mormonism a cult? The word cult refers to a cohesive social group devoted to beliefs or practices that are outside the mainstream."  I suppose by this definition Jesus Christ started a cult in 30 AD when He restored His gospel amount the Jews who had fallen away from the true gospel.

In my opinion, the word cult began to be associated to Mormons by Anti-Mormons in an attempt to cause fear in those investigating the religion.  Some even dishonestly hope the ignorant will confuse the word "occult" with this.  Occult scares people even more having satanic meanings. The honest know this is in direct opposition to what LDS believe and practice.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the real name of the church) is the 4th largest religion in America and the 5th largest religion in North America.  It is no wonder many feel threatened to lose members of their congregation.  I've heard of other churches actually say "Don't read the Book of Mormon. That's how they get you!"  The conversions of people are sometimes so remarkable that people have no other explanation but to say "they've been brainwashed".  I witnessed many families disown their children and friends after they joined the church as a result of their misunderstanding and intolerance.

Almost 20 years ago I served an LDS mission in Alaska and saw first hand the change for good in people and families.  There is a real change in their countenances and light in their eyes.

Are Christians and Mormons the same?  What do you define a "Christian" to be?  I define it as one who believes that Jesus is the Christ.  By this definition, the "Mormons" or The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints is Christian through and through.  It seems laughable that some contest a church that has JESUS CHRIST in its very name to be Christian -- again, another attempt to stop the growth of the church. Almost every page of the Book of Mormon contains the name of Christ on it. 

If you define "Christian" to be a traditional church that developed its doctrines during the dark ages, then no, we are not that church.  The doctrines of the trinity, baptism of children by sprinkling, paid ministries, etc were created by the Catholic Church starting with Roman Emperor Constantine in 320 AD.  You will not even find the words "trinity" or "sprinkling" in the Bible with regard to those doctrines. Search it out, it’s true.  In 320 AD Emperor Constantine, in an attempt to unite Rome, held a council of all bishops at Nicea.  Essentially a popular vote on that day led to the creation of the "trinity" doctrine which remains today as the primary foundation for most all traditional Christian churches.  The confusion came when Jesus Christ often referred to Himself and His Father as being "one".  Jesus Christ makes this meaning clear in John 17 when He prays to His Father that his disciples be "one" in the same way He and His Father are "one".  This means they are one in purpose and completely unified.  Father in Heaven is our Father. Jesus Christ is our brother.  The Holy Ghost is our brother.  These three separate personages are three different people and are all Gods.  Why do we sing "Glory to God in the Highest"?  The Father is the Highest God.  We are all spirit children of Father. That truth alone reveals volumes.  We are one big heavenly family.

The biggest problem is not that people don't believe in God. Most people in the world by far believe in God.  The problem is when people have an incorrect idea of the true character and attributes of God.  John 17:3 says that life eternal is to KNOW GOD.

Do Mormons teach that only Mormons go to heaven and everyone else goes to hell? Not at all.  In fact we teach that many Mormons will not and many non-Mormons will. 

You said, "Another difference: Baptism for the Dead (Baptism by proxy) is not justified by the Bible, but it is a Mormon ritual."  The New Testament teaches this doctrine.

In 1 Corinthians 15:29 Paul in speaking of the resurrection says, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” 

In effect he is saying, "why are we baptizing for the dead if there is no resurrection?”  The practice is clearly being done in the New Testament.

In 1 Peter 3:18-19 Peter says, "18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

  19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison."

Christ preached to spirits?  In prison? What does this mean? Read the next chapter in Peter.

1 Peter 4:6 Peter says, "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

Why would the gospel be preached to dead people?

Between Christ's death and resurrection, He organized missionary work among the dead in the spirit world.  This bridged the gap between paradise and spirit prison in the spirit world.

Why in the world would anyone have a problem with this just doctrine?  It is the most just and fair doctrine you'll ever find.  Those who didn't have the opportunity to receive the gospel and accept Christ in this life will have the opportunity in the next life.  Baptism can only be done on this earth by proper priesthood authority.  All of Heavenly Fathers children will eventually be baptized.  It doesn't mean they will accept it -- they still have that choice.  But it will be fair for all.

Polygamy is a hot issue. Many bring this up in an attack against the church.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not practiced this in over 100 years. Several small break-off churches from the 1800s still practice this.  It gets lots of news attention, and many mistake them for LDS -- even news reporters.  There is a definite contrast between the 13 million world-wide members of the LDS church and the several hundred scattered groups who practice polygamy.

Do Christians believe in Polygamy?  I would think most Christians would accept great prophets of the Bible like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and other great ones like King David and King Solomon.  However all of these were commanded in the Bible to practice polygamy with the exception of when David and Solomon went against the Lord.  It appears the real test should be this: If the Lord commands, do it.  I believe there is a real necessity for this practice when the Lord commands it.  I also believe we will learn of this necessity in the next life.  That will be the time we can look back on this life and realize how ignorant we were.

You said "The Book of Mormon gave the “Prophets” permission to partake in this."(polygamy) Actually the Book of Mormon teaches against polygamy. Let me correct your errors below:

In the Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:22-28, the prophet Jacob says,"22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.

  23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

  24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.

  25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.

  26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.

  27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;

  28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. "  Only when the Lord commands is this practice justified.

You said, “Brigham Young claimed that God and Adam were one and the same.” 

Brigham Young never taught such a thing.  Nor did any Mormon teach such a thing.  Anti-Mormons love to make this ridiculous argument.  They try to twist and interpret this from a very misunderstood talk Brigham gave.  Everything Brigham taught through his entire life contradicts such a doctrine.  Brigham Young is not a liar.  He is an honest and faithful man of God. 

You said, “How Smith got the Book of Mormon started: Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church purchased several Egyptian papyrus scrolls in 1835.”

Again, bad information.  The Book of Mormon and the Egyptian papyrus scrolls are completely unrelated.  The Book of Mormon was a record written on gold plates hidden in a hill called Cumorah in upstate New York.  Joseph Smith was instructed to take these plates and translate them into English by the power of God.  This book is a record from one of the tribes of Israel – namely Joseph (sold into Egypt), son of Jacob.  Joseph’s descendants (branches) left Jerusalem in 600 BC and came to the New World.  Remember Jacobs blessing to his favored son Joseph, (Genesis 49:22) “22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:”  A bough is a major branch. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were considered a wall that could not be crossed back then.  Joseph’s branches did run over the wall.  They came to America (Joseph’s land – Deut 33:13-17) and we have their book written by true prophets of God – The Book of Mormon.

We do not worship Joseph Smith.  We only worship Jesus Christ. It is only through Him we are saved.  However, Joseph Smith stands at the head of the last dispensation of time in these the last days.  Joseph stands with great ones like Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and others -- each standing at the head of their own dispensation.  A dispensation is a time when the true gospel of Jesus Christ has be revealed or dispensed.  The Jews had fallen away from the truth and by 30 AD Jesus Christ came to restore the true doctrines and His church.  After the death of Christ and His apostles, the Christians had also fallen away from the truth.  The Christian church went from a church established by Jews in Israel to a church run by the Roman government in Rome.  It completely changed. This was called the Great Apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).

Why did the Lord wait hundreds of years to restore His true church?  Look what happened during the reformation starting around 1500 AD.  The Catholic Church brutally killed everyone who opposed them.  Reformers had to go into hiding in order to break away from the Catholic Church.  Many Protestant Christians churches emerged from this each claiming to have the true gospel of their own, but interpreted by men.  There were many honest and faithful among all these churches.  Everyone had a part of the truth, but nobody had the complete true gospel.  The true church of Jesus Christ would have never survived during those days in Europe.  No, the Lord needed first to establish a free country that tolerated religion.  God led great ones to establish this great country in 1776.  Then in 1830 the Lord established His true church in America under the direction of the prophet Joseph Smith just as it was in Christ’s time with apostles and prophets, priesthood power, keys – with all the correct doctrines.  But how would people believe this was the true church of Christ?  The Lord needed to provide evidence.  In His great wisdom He brought forth the Book of Mormon which had been prepared and preserved over many centuries.  The Bible is not one book – but many books written over centuries of time by true prophets of God.  The Bible does not contain all revelations from God.  Even within the Bible there are many prophets who quote other scriptures that don’t exist today (eg Jude quotes book of Enoch – Jude 1:14)  There is the Old Testament, the New Testament and now Another Testament (Book of Mormon)– all witnessing that Jesus is the Christ.   It is no coincidence that Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon (stick of Joseph is the Book of Mormon; stick of Judah is the Bible– Ezekiel 37:15-19) written by descendants of the tribe of Joseph, in the land of Joseph (America) in the last days.  It is in preparation for the second coming of the Messiah.  It is the Lords effort to gather scattered Israel and to save His children.

Unless honest faith takes place, a skeptic will never come to a knowledge of the truth.  They will not honestly look for the truth, but will even go out of their way to prove it false.  And there are even those who will believe the truth, but not obey it.  I met a man on my LDS mission in Alaska that spent 15 years in South America trying to prove the Book of Mormon false.  He said he came back with the strongest testimony of the truthfulness of that book ever.  But he still couldn’t humble himself to be baptized and live the teachings.

I believe if an angel were to appear to a person, some would still doubt and not believe.  This is because an angel would leave an impression upon your eyes that fades over time.  Later this can be denied and now you’re even more accountable to God.  This is why God doesn’t go around sending angels to everyone.  The only real lasting evidence comes by the power of the Holy Ghost.  This leaves an impression upon your heart that is not easily removed.  The Holy Ghost will testify of ALL truth (John 14:26). 

There are an infinite number of arguments that could be brought up against the LDS church.  Each could be addressed, but let me suggest a solution to answer them all at once. 

Here is a real tangible book called the Book of Mormon that claims to have come forth by the power of God.  There are only two options: it is either true or false.  We can hold it in our hands and examine it.  Reading and praying about it will produce the most powerful evidence alone.

Reason with me.  Would you agree that IF the Book of Mormon is really what it claims to be -- brought forth by the power of God – then Joseph Smith MUST be a true prophet of God -- because God does not bring forth a true book of scripture through a false prophet?   And IF Joseph Smith really is a true prophet sent from God, then everything he has revealed from God is true – PERIOD.  No argument.  It doesn’t matter if we don’t understand it fully, or disagree with it does it?  We need to get our act together and follow the will of God.  So everything hinges on the Book of Mormon.

I know that the Book of Mormon was brought forth by the power and will of God.  I know it is pure and true.  Read the words of the last prophet of this book, the prophet Moroni says,

“3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

  4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

  5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

I hope I was able to clarify some issues in at least some small way.  A great place to learn more about the LDS church is www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.  Or I’d be happy to do my best.