WHY MORMONS?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="043005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDWARD WATSONS WEBWORLD"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>EDWARD WATS</B><B>ON'S WEBWORLD</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTRO"><U><B>INTRO</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="KNOWING TRUTH"><U><B>KNOWING TRUTH</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>WHY MORMONS?</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTELLECTUAL APPEAL"><U><B>INTELLECTUAL APPEAL</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PURPOSE AND USAGE"><U><B>PURPOSE AND USAGE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ADAPTABILITY"><U><B>ADAPTABILITY</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHAT IS MORMONISM?"><U><B>WHAT IS MORMONISM?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST"><U><B>THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL EXPERTS"><U><B>BIBLICAL EXPERTS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IS MORMONISM A CULT?"><U><B>IS MORMONISM A CULT?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFU"><U><B>HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFUTATION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CREDENTIALS"><U><B>CREDENTIALS</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL VIEW"><U><B>BIBLICAL VIEW</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PERSONAL NOTE"><U><B>PERSONAL NOTE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOOK OF MORMON"><U><B>BOOK OF MORMON</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABBREVIATIONS"><U><B>ABBREVIATIONS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> WHY MORMONS?</div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTRO"><U><B>Introduction</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="KNOWING TRUTH"><U><B>The best way to know the Truth</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id121.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHY MORMONS?"><U><B>Why are we called “Mormons”? </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="INTELLECTUAL APPEAL"><U><B>The intellectual appeal of Mormonism</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id123.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PURPOSE AND USAGE"><U><B>What these books are for and how to use them</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ADAPTABILITY"><U><B>The adaptability of Mormonism</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHAT IS MORMONISM?"><U><B>What is Mormonism?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id126.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST"><U><B>The Church is the Bride of Christ!</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL EXPERTS"><U><B>The four types of biblical experts</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="IS MORMONISM A CULT?"><U><B>Is  Mormonism a Cult?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HISTORICAL REFUTATION VS SCRIPTURAL REFU"><U><B>Historical refutation vs Scriptural refutation</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CREDENTIALS"><U><B>The issue of credentials </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id131.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BIBLICAL VIEW"><U><B>My view of the Bible</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PERSONAL NOTE"><U><B>A personal note</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOOK OF MORMON"><U><B>Coming back to the Book of Mormon</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>[MORMONISM. The Faith of the Twenty-first Century. Volume 1. Edward K. Watson. (Liahona Publications. Copyright © 1998 Edward K. Watson.) p. liii. MORMONISM: Series Introduction. All rights reserved.]</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Why are we called “Mormons”?</B></div> <bR> <div>      We are called “Mormons” despite in reality <B>we are followers of Jesus Christ, not Mormon.</B> To be accurate, we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are  Christians because we view ourselves to be “sheep” who follow and recognize Jesus Christ (John  10:27). “Mormon” was a belittling description our opponents used in reference to us because we believe in the Book of Mormon as Scripture comparable to the Bible (the label is after the book, not the person who compiled it). We fall under the over-arching umbrella called “Christian” by being believers in Christ and viewing ourselves as his followers. Likewise, Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists all fall under the classification “Christian” but the terms, “Catholic,” “Mormon” or “Baptist” merely clarify what Christian sub-group one belongs to. It isn't possible to say “A Mormon isn't a Christian” just as it is impossible to say “A Catholic isn't a Christian” or “A Baptist isn't a Christian,” or even, “A Jew isn't an Israelite.” </div> <div>      A person who is from California is labeled a “Californian.” If contrasted with a citizen of another state such as Oregon causes the contrast to be between a “Californian and an Oregonian.”  Both are Americans by belonging to sub-groups under the over-arching term “American.” It is impossible to say “A Californian isn't an American” just as it is equally impossible to contrast a Californian with an American since a Californian <I>is</I> an American. </div> <div>      This is why it is deceptive to contrast “Mormon” with “Christian” since <B>a </B> <B>Mormon is a Christian</B>. (See Section 2 Appendix).<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >1</FONT></div> <div>      I don't mind being called a “Mormon” despite it is sometimes intended as a term of derision since it is short and instantly identifies us as a specific distinct group (just like LDS does) without detracting from the fact we are Christians who follow Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>[ENDNOTES]:</B></div> <div> 1.I've encountered some strange arguments from anti-Mormons who are striving to deny the label of “Christian” to us Mormons. One of the most memorable was, “I'll accept you as a Christian if you will accept me as a Mormon.” Such a condition is absurd. The contrast is invalid since “Christian” and “Mormon” aren't on the same level because “Mormon” is a sub-set of “Christian.” This is like a Catholic telling a Baptist, “I'll accept you as a Christian if you will accept me as a Baptist.” Or, a Californian telling a Texan, “I'll accept you as an American if you accept me as a Texan.” Such an argument merely shows the shallowness of the reasoning of the anti-Mormon movement. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca"><U>e-mail me!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>