What follows is a snark, not directed at you, Kestrel.  


> From what I remember, the main complaints orthodox Christian groups have with
> Mormons are that they believe the Book of
> Mormon is "another testament of Jesus Christ" and that when
it contradicts
> the Bible -- the Book of Mormon is correct
> and not the Bible. 

Funny, since the Bible contradicts the Bible... oy. 

> Other problems were with multiple levels of Heaven, the
> baptism of the dead (the attainment of
> Salvation *without* personal acceptance of Christ), the attainment of
> divinity by humanity -- all those who have been
> baptised and died are gods, the belief that The Father, The Son and the Holy
> Spirit are distinct individuals -- all gods
> in and of themself not the usual 3-in-1 belief of orthodox Christianity, 

See, now, I've heard of other Protestant groups (7th Day Adventists, frex) who
also hold that the Trinity is 3 separate individuals... and the other points of
oddness look, to me, like differences in doctrine (big ones, in some cases,
from mainline Protestant, but then again, Catholics have a lot of divergence,
too) but nothing that eliminates Christianity from Mormonism.  



> Mormonism is not Christianity.
> The kindest interpretation I've seen of it
> is "quasi-Christian." -- which also encompasses Christian
Science, Jehova's
> Witness, Scientology (all of which are also
> viewed as cults by the Orthodox... tho I am somewhat less familiar with those
> cases)
> 

Orthodox *what*?  Protestants?  I recall more than one Protestant insisting
Catholics aren't Christian either, because of some doctrine they didn't approve
of.  i guess I have to question the whole notion of one splinter group of
Christianity claiming orthodoxy and authority to pronounce who else is, and
isn't, a Christian.  IIRC, Jesus kinda frowned on that sort of thing.  Said it
was between the person and God... 

darkelf, who dislikes holier-than-thous of all stripes... 




=====
Obsequium parit amicos; veritas parit odium.  - Cicero
(Compliance produces friends; truth produces hate.)

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