Update October 10th: Pastor Robert Jeffress reaffirmed his statements on October 9th, and Jon Huntsman Jr. weighed in on October 10th.
Robert Jeffress, senior pastor at the 10,000 member First Baptist Church in Dallas, is at it again. At a Value Voters summit in Washington, D.C. on October 7th, 2011, Jeffress referred to Mitt Romney's Mormonism as a "cult". And it's not the first time.
Pastor Jeffress was in attendance to introduce Republican Presidential candidate Rick Perry before his speech to the group. He did not make the reference during his introduction, when he merely characterized Perry as a proven leader, a true conservative, and a committed follower of Christ. But in remarks to the media after the event, Jeffress said "Rick Perry's a Christian. He's an evangelical Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ...Mitt Romney's a good moral person, but he's not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. It has always been considered a cult by the mainstream of Christianity." He also told reporters that being a fine person with a great family and great values does not get you to heaven.
Interesting that he had nothing to say about the other Mormon presidential candidate, Jon Huntsman Jr.
Pastor Jeffress also put forth his definition of "Christian". He explained, “It is only faith in Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ alone, that qualifies you as a Christian...They embraced another gospel, the Book of Mormon, and that is why they have never been considered by evangelical Christians to be part of the Christian family.” Of course, Pastor Jeffress fails to understand that the Book of Mormon stands ALONGSIDE the Bible as the equally authoritative word of God, and does NOT supersede the Bible. Jeffress did add that if Romney wins the nomination, he will "hold his nose" and vote for him. He said he would rather have a non-Christian who embraces Christian principles in the White House than a professing Christian who governs by unbiblical principles. He believes that although Barack Obama is a professing Christian, Obama governs by unbiblical principles. Thanks to Think Progress, we have a video recording some of the pastor's remarks:
Even though Pastor Jeffress was at the summit at the behest of the Value Voters rather than Rick Perry, Perry immediately took action to disavow Jeffress' remarks. Perry spokesman Mark Miner initially explained, “The governor doesn’t judge what is in the heart and soul of others. He leaves that to God.” Minutes later, Miner came back and flatly stated, "The governor does not believe Mormonism is a cult". I cannot recall a single instance during this campaign so far when Rick Perry ever made any reference to Mitt Romney's religion.
Ironically, it was just this past Sunday, on October 2nd, that Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve addressed this very subject during the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He provides a powerful justification of why we consider ourselves Christian. You can read the transcript of the address HERE, or watch it on the video embedded below:
You can also read an official explanation from the LDS Church as to why Mormons are Christians.
Pastor Robert Jeffress has previously criticized Romney for his Mormonism in 2007 and again in 2008. And Jeffress has also been critical of Islam; in August 2010, Jeffress claimed that Islam “promotes pedophilia” and that violence by Muslims is in accordance with what the Quran teaches because it’s a violent religion. Islam neither promotes pedophilia, nor is it violent by default, although the Quran encourages Muslims to defend their faith by force if necessary.
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Ooh! That guy made me really mad. I was watching a video of him saying it is his responsibility to tell the truth and that's why he said what he did about Mormonism being a cult. If he thinks it's his responsibility to tell the truth, why doesn't he?
Yes, Jared, that pastor initially made me angry too, but then I remembered that ignorance is not necessarily a sin -- unless one decides to wallow in it.
Perhaps Pastor Jeffress will wise up and throw off his ignorance.
Romney, and any Mormon offended by being referred to as cultists, need to be asked why they adhere to a religion whose prophet, Joseph Smith, referred to Christianity, in general, as being cultic.
He actually, claimed that God Himself referred to Christianity as “all wrong,” an “abomination,” “all corrupt” and “far from me”—this is the very foundation of the Mormon religion.
Pardon the spam-like URL but, see: http://www.examiner.com/messianic-jewish-in-national/rick-perry-on-robert-jeffress-mormonism-as-cult
[Kudos, Unveiled, for an excellent blog. Saw this "subtle LDS" bit on the net. Tim]
The Living River of History
by Bruce Rockwell
Can you name a meandering river which can affect the 2012 US Presidential election? I can. And are you aware, as I am, that a Presidential candidate can be influenced by a 19th century teenager's occultic "revelations"?
All humans are affected by the Living River of History. The "headwaters" of it was Adam, according to Judaism, Christianity, Islam and some other faiths.
In the Old Testament (Deut. 28) we find that "tributaries" (those who choose to be part of this River) will be blessed while "distributaries" (those choosing to flow away from it) will be cursed. Those deciding to be totally disconnected from the fresh Living River soon find themselves in polluted, dying "oxbow lakes."
The OT period was notable for its fluidity: Israelites repeatedly flowing away from God and then repenting and returning back to Him numerous times; heathen "oxbow lakes" creating their own "gods" and being allowed by the true God to take into captivity the erring Israelites.
Then, at the right moment, came the arrival of the only One who could fulfill all of the OT's detailed predictions of a future Messiah, His arrival happening before the 70 AD destruction of the Jewish temple which contained records proving that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham - records that would be unavailable to anyone after 70 AD who might falsely claim to be the long awaited Promised One. The same timely arrival guaranteed that the Living River, led by the One who offers "living water," would take on new life.
Since the emergence in the 7th century of Islam - which drew greatly from both OT and NT, yet chose to be a distributary away from the River - many scholars have viewed it as the final "scourge" or Antichrist (note references like "Assyrian," Euphrates," "land of Nimrod" in Daniel, Micah, Revelation etc.).
The end-time Islamic "scourge" will be allowed by God to temporarily persecute and purify Jews and Christians who have "fallen away" from their faiths. (Jews, especially those in entertainment, are more expert in apostasy than Christians since they've been at it 2000 years longer than Christians have - but Christians seem to want to catch up to the Jews!)
I should add that Islam won't play its predicted role all alone; it has more than enough oil money to "buy" leaders of foreign countries while at the same time bribing disloyal American leaders to turn against true American patriots.
Re the occultic "revelations" by a 19th century teenager (above) - who heavily "appropriated" many King James Bible verses in order to create one of the most delusive distributaries of all time - see the internet which has tons of data on this religious innovation of 1830.
Finally, if you ignore the God-ordained Living River of History or (much worse) try to destroy or even dilute it, you will be swept down it to an ocean made by your own never-ending tears of agony and despair!
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