Tolerant, loyal, considerate – all words that represent our Mormon friends. Yet, asking hard questions about differing religions initiates twitchiness in the most kindhearted individuals. As much as the world paints the picture of similarity between Mormonism and evangelical Christianity, one thing is certain: both beliefs can’t be right.

The Good News interviewed Pastor Dan Plourde of Calvary Church, a former cult Life leader, to sift through this sensitive topic. Here is what Plourde had to say:

Good News (GN): The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) believes that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world and the son of God. Why is everyone debating their faith?

Pastor Plourde (PP): When we examine the core beliefs, we find that Mormonism and biblical Christianity differ in many ways. The Bible teaches in Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and … and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
LDS believe Jesus is the son of God, not God. The Bible says Jesus will be the Mighty God.

We read in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Immanuel means “God with us.” Christianity is built on this verse – a virgin, with child, named God – God in the flesh.
Mormons hold that Jesus’ birth came about through a sexual union between Elohim and Mary.

GN: Who is Moroni – the angel of light?

PP: Joseph Smith (LDS founder) prophesied that an angel of light named Moroni delivered the Book of Mormon (written in Egyptian on golden plates) with a new revelation and updated gospel because the Bible was corrupted.

Paul warned in Galatians 1:8 of angels bringing a new gospel different from what the Bible teaches. “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you.”

As Christians we hold that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote Scripture. When Paul repeats himself in Galatians 1:9, stating, “If an angel from heaven preaches any other gospel whom we have not preached,” he is clear that we are not to accept any changes or additions to the gospel.

The Holy Spirit seems to anticipate that an angel would sometime in the future appear and preach a different gospel. I’m reminded of Paul’s concerns as he wrote to the church in Corinth: “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

Interestingly, Paul tells us, “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Accepting another Jesus or another gospel is likened to being duped by the craftiness of Satan. What Satan said to Eve (that she would become like God) sounded good, but the result was disastrous.
We either choose the testimony of Paul, or what Moroni, “the angel of light” says.